Study shows coffee from Rondônia as an ally of the climate

An unprecedented study carried out in the Matas de Rondônia region reveals that family coffee farming in this territory of the Brazilian Amazon has a favorable carbon balance. The results of this research indicate that plantations of Amazonian Robusta Coffee - a local variety of canephora coffee (Coffea canephora) - sequester, on average, 2,3 times more carbon annually from the atmosphere than the emissions generated in the agricultural production process.

The research shows that the region's annual carbon balance is favorable at 3.883,3 kg, or approximately 4 tons per hectare per year. The average comes from the difference between the carbon stored in the plant biomass (6.874,8 kg) and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the coffee production phase (2.991,5 kg). Due to its originality, the balance can be used as a reference for other research and even for opening carbon credit lines.

The initiative also resulted in the creation of a carbon emissions calculation spreadsheet for use by local farmers. The intention is to show the current emissions status of coffee farmers in the state, considering criteria such as irrigation, fertilizer use, among others.

Results presentation

The results of Embrapa's research are being presented at the Rondônia Rural Show Internacional, from May 26 to 31, in Ji-Paraná (RO). This is the largest agribusiness fair in the Northern Region and aims to foster integration between science and the productive sector.

The event will be an opportunity for coffee producers to test this spreadsheet and run simulations to assess whether the emissions from their cultivation systems are above or below the state's average balance.

“We are very happy with the results of this research,” says Juan Travian, president of Cafeicultores Associados da Região das Matas de Rondônia (Caferon). “The study proves the sustainability of coffee farming in the Amazon biome. For us, it is extremely important to show the world, through science, that coffee production in the Amazon is sustainable,” he adds.

The chairman of the board of directors of Sicoob Credip, Oberdan Pandolfi Ermita, emphasizes that carbon monetization is a new market that has been stimulating a race for methodologies to calculate this balance. For him, the Embrapa study manages to capture the specificity of Amazonian Robusta Coffee, considering the phytoclimatic conditions of the region. “These are very relevant data. Our goal is to work on monetizing this carbon, in order to benefit coffee growers in the Matas de Rondônia directly, or through a reduction in the interest rate,” he says. 

COP30, Climate Journey and Embrapa Carbon Integration

The project with Amazonian Robusta Coffees was selected to be presented in the living showcase of Espaço AgriZone, an exhibition that will be the home of Brazilian sustainable agriculture in Belém, at the headquarters of Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, during COP30, from November 10 to 21.

This article is part of the Embrapa News Agency series related to the Journey for Climate initiative. The idea is to identify reports on R&D&I actions and technologies that favor the sustainability of agrifood systems and biomes, in line with the themes of COP 30.

Check out other results from the Company and partners focused on decarbonizing agriculture on the Integra Carbono Embrapa page. The initiative is focused on aggregating data and results from research, development and innovation (RD&I) capable of contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agrifood and forestry systems.

carbon sequestration

Embrapa Territorial researcher Carlos Cesar Ronquim, who led the study, believes that coffee plants can act as a carbon removal tool. As a woody plant, they have the capacity to store large amounts of carbon for a longer period of time. Ronquim points out, however, that the carbon temporarily sequestered in the biomass of coffee plants returns to the atmosphere when the crop is renewed or deactivated. He also notes that if these plants are used as substitutes for fossil fuels, this can effectively contribute to a more positive carbon balance in production.

The study also included the participation of Professor Eduardo Figueiredo, from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar - Araras Campus), and Embrapa Territorial (SP) scholarship holder Guilherme Silva. 

The data used in the research were collected in the field. The carbon stock stored in the plants was generated from laboratory analyses of samples of adult coffee plants obtained from the plantations. Emissions data were collected through questionnaires and in meetings with local producers.

To quantify the carbon stored in the plant, 150 adult coffee plants were evaluated on ten rural properties in five municipalities in the Matas de Rondônia region. Laboratory analyses showed that most of the carbon is concentrated in the trunk (36,4%), followed by roots (24,3%), leaves (23,8%), branches (10,1%) and fruits (5,4%).

Researcher Enrique Alves, from Embrapa Rondônia (RO), points out that many coffee growers in the Matas de Rondônia partially replace the use of chemical fertilizers with organic sources - such as chicken litter and coffee straw. "This practice favors the full development of plants, the accumulation of carbon in the soil over time, and lower GHG emissions, when compared to synthetic nitrogen fertilizers", he observes.

“The plants of the robusta botanical variety are large and have a high production capacity. This, combined with good agronomic practices and new, denser spatial arrangements, make the crop a tool for soil protection and carbon sequestration,” the researcher emphasizes.

The research calculation does not yet consider the carbon stored in the soil, which could make the balance even more favorable in future analyses. The project is already directing efforts towards this purpose, comparing areas of coffee, pastures and native forests. The expectation is that the well-managed cultivation of Amazonian Robusta Coffee in areas previously occupied by pasture will result in a net increase in carbon in the system, especially in degraded pastures.

“Collections are underway, with several field trips already carried out. We believe that field activities will be completed this semester,” says researcher Ronquim.

Emissions survey

The emissions survey was conducted on 250 properties located in 15 municipalities in the Matas de Rondônia region. Data were collected by applying questionnaires during field visits and meetings and interviews with producers, with the support of technicians from the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company (Emater - RO). The objective was to map the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions associated with local coffee farming, such as the use of limestone and fertilizers (synthetic nitrogen and organic), the consumption of fossil fuels in agricultural operations and the use of electricity in irrigation systems. Based on this data, it was possible to calculate the carbon footprint of coffee production in the region.

The carbon footprint represents the total amount of GHG emitted during the production process. This analysis allows the adoption of technical adjustments that reduce emissions, promoting low-carbon agriculture. Coffee farming in the Matas de Rondônia region recorded an average carbon footprint of 0,84 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per kg of green coffee produced. In practice, this means that each kilo of green coffee produced (when only the beans are considered and other parts of the coffee fruit are disregarded) emits 0,84 kilos of GHG.

Ronquim explains that this result places Robusta Coffee from the Brazilian Amazon in a favorable position in relation to the global average, especially when compared to other traditional full-sun crops. The study data were compared with analyses carried out by other scientific studies, including reviews and average research values ​​(which compare full-sun cultivation systems with agroforestry systems) on hundreds of coffee farms in the main producing countries, especially in the Central American region.

The researcher highlights that the carbon footprint varies according to several factors, such as the location of the study, the climate, the type of soil, the management adopted, the variety or clone used, technologies applied, inputs and even the methodology used.

The study found that approximately 80% of the carbon footprint is the result of the application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. This is because there is a direct relationship between the increase in nitrogen doses and the increase in emissions: the greater the application of nitrogen, the greater the losses and the lower the plant's utilization rates. This impact can be mitigated with practices such as the use of organic fertilizers to replace part of the synthetic fertilizer, intercropping with nitrogen-fixing legumes, and the rational use of inputs.

Well-managed coffee farming, with efficient use of resources and mitigation strategies, becomes an ally in the fight against climate change. The challenge of reconciling productivity and sustainability is increasingly relevant in a global scenario of seeking low-carbon agricultural practices. “Amazonian coffee farming is entering a new phase of modernization of the cultivation system. This includes regenerative practices, such as soil cover management, use of Agroforestry Systems (SAFs), expansion of organic fertilization, replacement of agrochemicals with biological ones, and rational and partial use of nitrogen chemical fertilization through fertigation (a technique that applies fertilizers diluted in irrigation water). In addition, Embrapa, in a participatory breeding process, has helped coffee farmers select genetic materials with greater production potential, quality and, above all, climate resilience,” emphasizes Alves.

In addition to sustainable agronomic practices, the efficiency in crop management by small coffee farmers in Rondônia also stands out, demonstrating resilience in the face of agricultural challenges. This is largely due to the experience gained after migrating to the state, their adaptation to local conditions, and their openness to adopting new technologies. These innovations have contributed to productivity gains and a reduction in planted area in recent decades.

“As they are grown on small family properties, much of the management of Amazonian robustas - such as harvesting - is carried out manually, which contributes to the reduction of GHG emissions related to the use of fossil fuels”, points out the project leader.

 family agriculture

The prominence of Rondônia's coffee production on the national scene has been expanding. According to the National Supply Company (Conab), Rondônia was responsible for 87% of production in the Amazon biome in the 2024 harvest, launching it to the fifth largest total production in the country and the second largest production of the species. Coffea canephora.

The Amazonian robusta coffee cultivation system in the Rondônia Forests involves around 17 producers. The majority of these are family farmers focused on sustainable production. Of the 37 rural properties registered in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) in the region, less than 95 produce coffee — and 3,5% of these small properties are family-owned, with an average of XNUMX hectares cultivated with coffee.