Balanço de gases de efeito estufa em área de produção de café em ambiente tropical

Abstract

Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of coffee in the world, yet it faces growing challenges due to climate change, which impact national production, product quality, sustainability, and the economic viability of the activity. Consequently, it becomes imperative to thoroughly understand the impacts of climate change on the coffee production system and to seek innovative solutions to mitigate them. In this regard, this study aims to create a greenhouse gas balance in coffee cultivation, analyzing the sector's history, the coffee production system, climate trends in the producing region, and exploring greenhouse gas mitigation strategies. Data were collected from the main emission and removal sources in a coffee cultivation unit in the Monte Carmelo region, MG, and were treated using the GHG Protocol for Agriculture. As a result, the application of limestone (67%) was found to be the largest emission source, followed by diesel consumption (22%), with smaller sources being electricity consumption (7%) and the use of nitrogen fertilizers (4%). Regarding removal, it was concluded that with plant biomass, -7,6 tCO2e ha-1yr-1 is stored, and in the soil, -9,7 tCO2e ha- 1 yr-1 is stored. Thus, the carbon balance of the studied production unit accounted for an average removal value of -17,3 tCO2e ha-1yr-1 for the 2022/2023 harvest, with a carbon footprint of -7.6 kg CO2e/kg of green coffee and Green Gas Balance -15,5 tCO2e ha-1ano-1.