Epagri project focuses on specialty coffee in SC

The Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company of Santa Catarina (Epagri) recently approved, together with the Foundation for Research and Innovation Support of Santa Catarina (Fapesc), the Café+SC project, with the objective of generating technical information for the production of specialty coffee in the state, focusing on environmental, economic and social sustainability. The initiative bets on cultivation in a shaded system as an alternative for diversification and income generation for family farming.

The proposal integrates research and rural extension and includes climate risk analysis for coffee cultivation, as well as the study of ecophysiological aspects of coffee varieties. Coffea arabica in agroforestry systems. The project is coordinated by Epagri/Ciram researcher Valeria Pohlmann and is funded by Fapesc.

Currently, teams are collecting data on rural properties in the main producing regions of Santa Catarina, such as the South Coast, Greater Florianópolis, North Coast, Itajaí Valley, and Uruguay River Valley. Plant development and productivity are evaluated, with data obtained directly in the field.

The collected information will be integrated with climate and soil data available in scientific databases and in the Epagri/Ciram database, allowing for improved climate risk analysis of the crop. According to the researcher, this step is fundamental to validating the mapped areas and increasing the accuracy of recommendations for agricultural planning.

The project also has the support of extension agents from Epagri, who work in coordinating with producers and monitoring the study areas, strengthening the connection between research and the field.

Experiment compares shaded and full sun cultivation

A second research phase will be conducted at the Epagri Training Center in Tubarão (Cetuba), where coffee crops grown in agroforestry systems and in full sun will be compared. Starting in August, five varieties will be evaluated: Arara, Siriema, Mundo Novo IAC 376-4, IPR Alvorada, and IPR Pérola.

The experiment will include manual and remote sensing measurements, as well as the installation of sensors to monitor photosynthetically active radiation, air and soil temperature and humidity. The data will be cross-referenced with meteorological variables and mathematical models.

The goal is to understand how shading influences the performance of varieties and their adaptation to local conditions. The results should support the development of suitability maps for shade-grown coffee in Santa Catarina, as well as guide technical management and monitoring protocols.

The Café+SC project is carried out by researchers from Epagri/Ciram, including Elisângela Benedet da Silva, Cristina Pandolfo, Fabio Martinho Zambonim, Gabriel Berenhauser Leite, Guilherme Ari Ferreira de Oliveira, and Luiz Fernando de Novaes Vianna.