Brazil's Brewing Crisis: Coffee and Deforestation

A recent report reveals that Brazilian deforestation linked to coffee cultivation has resulted in the loss of 737,000 hectares of forest between 2002 and 2023. The report highlights potential negative environmental impacts on Brazil's coffee industry, which may affect the nation's capability to sustain its coffee production in the future.

The report, issued by Coffee Watch, indicates 312,803 hectares were directly cleared for coffee farming, while the remainder stemmed from additional forest loss on coffee farms. As the world's largest coffee producer and exporter, Brazil faces a precarious future unless it reverses deforestation rates that threaten the essential rains needed for coffee crops.

Coffee Watch director, Etelle Higonnet, emphasizes the urgency of reversing this trend to prevent further biodiversity disasters and crop failures. The report encourages Brazilian coffee growers to adopt sustainable agroforestry practices to sustain the industry. However, the Brazilian coffee exporters' group Cecafe argues that the report's findings overlook efforts to preserve native vegetation.