Rationaluseofwaterreflectsthequalityand
sustainabilityofBraziliancoffeefarmingbusiness
inlightofanevermorediscerningglobalscenario
F
resh water, vital to all living organ-
isms and to the environment, is a
perishable thing, whose end canbe
abbreviated by inadequate use, re-
sulting into economic, social and
environmental damages, and even cultur-
al problems, affecting the lives and habits
of the population of the planet. The interfer-
ence of population growth andurbanization,
through the use of materials that lead to im-
permeablesoils,aswellasindustrialprocess-
es, are responsible, for example, for impair-
ingwater penetration intosoils.
This, as a rule, reduces the amount of
groundwater stored in the water tables, in-
terferes with the water levels in rivers and
brooks,whichsupplythecitiesandthecoun-
tryside, besides the generation of electric
energy, among other uses. The problems
caused to the production of food crops be-
cause of the irregular distribution of water is
one of the consequences of this alteration in
thehydrological cycle.
Agriculturedepends onwater. According
to the United Nations Organization (UNO),
70% of this natural resource available in
the world is consumed by the production
of foods and fibers. In Brazil, an agricultur-
al giant, which is home to a large number of
rivers and underground water tables, more
than 10%of the area devoted to agriculture
relies on irrigation, which is not much by
global standards.
Antônio Guerra, manager of the Re-
search and Development Department at
Embrapa Coffee, explains that the numbers
released by the UNO do not precisely trans-
late the reality, particularly in Brazil. “Irriga-
tion uses significant amounts of water, but
almost in its entirety it is returned to the en-
vironment through surface evaporation and
plant transpiration”, he says. This, neverthe-
less, does not translate into a permission
for improper use nor does it suggest a con-
Clear and
perfect
Water not used by the plants
returns to the environment
Sílvio Ávila
templative stance. “TheCountryneedspub-
lic policies focused on preservation in order
to raise the availability of this resource for
the production of food and keep the water
streams flowing”, he adds.
Anísio José Diniz, researcher with Embra-
paCoffee,warnsthatexcessiveandnegligent
use of this resource in agriculture could end
up bringing about negative impacts. Preser-
vation is essential. “Farmers need to receive
guidance on how to rationally manage wa-
ter for every different crop. In the case of cof-
feefarming,whichoccupiesabout2.3million
hectares, this is indispensable”, he says.
Besides environmental, social and eco-
nomic gains, either direct or indirect, the cor-
rect use of water has also reflections on the
market. Global clients are getting more and
morediscerningwith regard to thesocial and
environmental aspects of food crops. They
want to knowhow the crop is cultivated and
its impact upon the environment and com-
munities. Using this ever receding resource
in rationalmanner is ademonstrationof har-
mony with the planet’s vital questions, with
the network of businesses that include sup-
pliers and final consumers in any corner of
theworld, andwithcoffee farming.
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