IICA and CNC sign technical cooperation agreement

The National Coffee Council (CNC) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) signed, on Thursday (5/3), a technical cooperation agreement that aims to contribute effectively to competitiveness and sustainable development coffee growing, environmental protection and improving living conditions in Brazil's coffee growing regions.

The institutions will develop actions with the aim of finding solutions to strengthen the sustainability of national coffee farming, aiming to protect the environment and value the environmental services provided by producers; support the adoption of technologies that aim to more efficiently use inputs and natural resources to protect the environment and the health of workers and producers; and contribute to the process of technological updating to reduce production costs, increase income and improve the quality of life of farmers and coffee.

According to the president of the CNC, Silas Brasileiro, national coffee farming is the most sustainable in the world, but its producers still need economic improvements. "Sustainability is an issue in practically all production segments and, in coffee, it is no different. However, the economic side of the tripod is not always honored in light of the investments we make in the environmental and social areas", he analyzes. "Our agreement comes precisely to show the world the image of our sustainability and, consequently, improve the conditions of producers in the field", he adds.

The IICA representative in Brazil in charge, Christian Fischer, states that the signed agreement focuses on sustainable coffee, initially, via the “Water Producer” program, developed by the National Water Agency (ANA), which promotes coordination and intervention in agricultural areas of river basins of interest. IICA already supports this program through the international technical cooperation agreement it has with the agency.

“The main lines of action of the agreement will be the sustainable competitiveness of coffee farming, generating wealth and development in the region for both rural producers and local society. There will be a focus on cooperativism as a vector of social development through national and international cooperation, exchanges and technical visits, in addition to the offer, by IICA, of solutions that include good agricultural practices and traceability”, highlighted Fischer.

For the director of the Department of Commercialization and Supply of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), Silvio Farnese, who participated in the agreement signing ceremony, this official partnership will have the support of the federal government.

“We have a long tradition of working with IICA, which shows us the institute’s efficiency in supporting the development of agribusiness. IICA has a expertise very big in this and can help with a very healthy result for the coffee chain, which has a very large penetration in the world. We are the largest coffee exporting country, in addition to being the largest producer, and this brings us a great responsibility to defend and maintain this issue of sustainability as a standard for Brazilian coffee”, concluded Farnese.