SÃO PAULO, Brazil – Cecafé, as a legitimate representative of the Brazilian coffee export sector, carries out several thoughtful sustainable actions for coffee growers and other segments, always bearing in mind the national interest. Through its Social Responsibility and Sustainability Programs, Cecafé and its members reaffirm the country’s commitment to leveraging the best environmental and social practices in all segments of the production chain.
In recent years, Cecafé—Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council—has sought to establish, along with other components of the production chain, a strategic plan to promote Brazilian coffee image and communication directed to sustainability, including environmental issues and compliance with legal requirements.
In the communication pillar focused on sustainability, Cecafé has been seeking to spread information on Good Agricultural Practices and the correct and safe use of agrochemicals. The Council has been working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with the European Coffee Federation and several Brazilian agribusiness organizations, in search for dialogue and the development of viable strategies together with technical and scientific bodies of the European Union.
Internally, Cecafé has been proactively engaged in education, communication, research and monitoring of herbicides in green coffee. In addition, the Council participated in the preparation of the Manual of Good Agricultural Practices for Weed Control, with guidance on the use of herbicides. This informative and illustrative material was built collectively, especially for coffee producers, agronomists, and technicians, and brings an important warning about the Maximum Residue Limits accepted for herbicides in coffee.
Launched in April 2020, the manual was designed in a collective effort and is part of the “Responsible Use of Agrochemicals” Initiative, of which Cecafé is a partner of the Brazil Coffee Sustainability Platform (GCP Brazil), which aims to promote good agricultural practices related to the use of agrochemicals in Brazil.
The manual addresses issues such as bush management, importance of organic matter as cover for soil and water conservation, mechanical control, as well as items on the correct use of application technology, with additional care in relation to the drift and contamination of coffee tree leaves, equipment regulation, correct use of tips and nozzles according to labeling instructions, and alternation of herbicide mechanisms of action.
It also emphasizes the importance of using specific herbicides to control weed and the use of personal protective equipment whenever handling agrochemicals.
In the search for mature dialogue and promotion of a responsible debate between the various stakeholders of the coffee production chain, Cecafé has been taking part in several sustainable practice initiatives on the field.
In this agenda to communicate and promote Brazilian coffee image, Cecafé will continue to act proactively both internally and externally in the defense of its members’ interest. Allied to the growing concern of many national and international organizations about coffee quality and residues, participation
in several events such as round tables, onversation rounds, field days, workshops and meetings is necessary, with the aim and challenge to provide a greater understanding of the topic and establishing direct communication with agronomists, extension workers, and technicians to promote awareness among farmers. Ongoing actions also involve training, exchanges with researchers and university professors and dialogues with regulatory agencies, among others.
Cecafé believes that the discussion on best practices and a better understanding of the actions developed are the right way to achieve sustainability. And it will continue to move towards its mission: treading the right path towards an increasingly sustainable and environmentally responsible future.
Link to access the manual: https://bit.ly/2WYoPQz
