The state of Rondônia, located in the Amazon region of the country, has preserved its fauna and flora conditions for a long time. However, things began to change in the last quarter of the 20th century, due to migratory movements to the region – a movement that caused many economic, social and environmental transformations.

The result of this movement is that almost 35% of the state’s forests were converted into agricultural production areas, causing deforestation and environmental impacts. The attempt to make economic activity more sustainable took place with the modernization of the countryside and the introduction of coffee growing in the region, which today is a reference for quality.

All of this happened with the support of Sicoob Credip. The person telling this story is Oberdan Pandolfi Ermita, President of the Board of Directors of Sicoob Credip:

“In addition to the credit aimed at producers accessing new technologies and production processes, today totaling almost US$ 408,700 for 4,000 producers served, Sicoob Credip together with Sebrae supported CAFERON (portuguese acronym for Associated Coffee Growers of the Matas Region of Rondônia) in the creation of visual identities of the Geographical Identification of Amazonian Robustas in the Matas Region of Rondônia”.

Sustainable productive revitalization

Local coffee farming was experiencing a decline in productivity and income. In this scenario, many producers migrated to extensive livestock farming or deforested forest areas in order to increase the pasture area. It was like a vicious cycle that generated more and more incentives for deforestation.

However, within this complex context, local producers built the basis of unique genetics and developed their own way of producing coffee. In the last decade, a collective effort of scientific research, rural extension and support from entities such as Sicoob Credip, began to promote and disseminate the use of best agronomic practices among producers.

To this end, investments contributed to selecting and improving the genetic material of plants, guiding planting and harvesting, improving irrigation and increasing care in processing production. Embrapa, a public Brazilian company for technological development in agriculture and livestock farming, was a great ally in the scientific and technological development of the initiative. The process was challenging, says the President of Sicoob Credip:

“The biggest challenge is to convince producers to invest in quality and adopt new production technologies. At first it was just an idea, the pioneers who believed in it did not immediately receive recognition or remuneration for their differentiated product. But the persistence and performance of entities supporting quality competitions began to reveal something new and surprising to the market.”

The result of this process was the obtaining of a drink with an exotic and unique sensorial profile, with plants that adapted and naturalized with rusticity and high productivity, giving rise to the special Robustas Amazônicos coffees, which even obtained an unprecedented Geographic Identification for sustainable canephora coffees in the world.

“In the past, it was believed that quality wine only came from European wines, with denominations of origin. Investment in science and research and the dedication of people around the world have proven that new terroirs exist. We can draw exactly this parallel with the Amazon Robustas”, compares Ermita.

Market potential

The position of credit union occupied by Sicoob Credip was essential for this journey, but this characteristic was just the beginning of a series of strategic points that allowed the success of this project.

Among them are the release of credit aimed at producers interested in accessing new technologies and production processes. The partnership with CAFERON was also a game changer, helping to consolidate the brands of local producers.

Recognition is also in the sights of this initiative, as CAFERON now has financial support to promote local coffee growing events, awards and much more. The idea is to show the region’s potential to the world and reinforce the value that locally grown grains have for the country.

Sustainable protagonism

Promoting the market and stimulating local production was just one part of Sicoob’s effort to recover the coffee growing sector in Rondônia. From the beginning, the cooperative knew that it was also necessary to take care of the environment rich in fauna and flora that surrounds these farms.

Topics such as the carbon footprint of Robustas Amazônicos are measured frequently and assertively. The plan is even to transform the methodology owned by Sicoob Credip, Embrapa and CAMERON into a source of generating carbon credits.

To align the increase in productivity and environmental preservation, an unprecedented intelligence was used, which embraces the concept of vulnerability of small producers and applies strategies from the beginning so that they do not become a potential deforestation agent.

Thanks to efforts concentrated in the Matas de Rondônia region, production jumped from two to more than three million processed bags of coffee. All of this occurred with a reduction in the planted area, from 345 thousand to 65 thousand hectares.

“Adopting new productive technologies, which add productivity and income, bringing to the issue of preservation also the dimension of the Amazon and its dignity is the only way that Sicoob Credip has seen to support the fight against deforestation. Therefore, we come to understand that supporting small coffee farmers in their technological transition represents the condition to bring dignity and preservation to the forest”, highlights Ermita.

And it’s not just coffee that benefits: the entire region is being studied and several points of expansion of activity without deforestation are being recorded, as well as local environmental assets. The idea is to create a chain of collaboration, providing credit to help producers throughout the technological transition.

A result worthy of such fine coffee

The quality of coffee from Rondônia is recognized. “This is something new that is surprising the world and breaking paradigms in the coffee industry. Amazonian Robusta has its unique characteristics and is as good as the finest Arabica coffee”, explains Ermita.

So much so that Rondônia cafes are collecting awards. In 2022, coffees from Matas de Rondônia won the five best places in the “Coffee of The Year” and “Florada/3corações” competitions. Furthermore, the coffees produced in the region also won international competitions, such as the Great Taste Awards 2023.

But the results of the dedication of these three institutions also provided an improvement in the living conditions of thousands of workers. In addition to bringing opportunities to communities that are constantly excluded, such as indigenous people, the initiative also generated recognition.

The cycle is now virtuous. “The more the producer invests in quality, the more he demands investments in new services, generating positive externalities for the entire community”.

Several families that struggled to position their productions now have quality seals and can see their grains winning over connoisseurs from all over the world. This is the effect of a cause that combines sustainability, social care and collaboration.