CCA international mission strengthens innovation in coffee production
- Consorcio Cerrado das Águas
- Apr 16
- 2 min read
Cerrado das Águas promotes international technical mission to Costa Rica focused on water security in the Cerrado Mineiro Region
Initiative strengthens innovation and climate resilience strategies through knowledge exchange
By Consórcio Cerrado das Águas
Patrocínio, Minas Gerais, Brazil – April 16, 2026. The Consórcio Cerrado das Águas has launched, in April, an international technical mission that marks a strategic moment for coffee production in the Cerrado Mineiro region. The International Technical Mission “Innovation in Agroforestry Systems,” currently underway in Costa Rica, brings together a group of 13 participants—including producers, associated members, and the CCA technical team—for an immersive experience aimed at developing solutions to climate challenges that directly impact coffee production.
The initiative connects the Brazilian territory with practices developed by the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), a global reference in applied research for coffee production and agroforestry systems (AFS). The mission’s main goal is to expand access to technical and scientific knowledge capable of combining productivity, sustainability, and climate resilience, directly contributing to strengthening the Regenerative Landscape of the Cerrado Mineiro.
With an intensive five-day technical agenda, participants engage in both practical and strategic experiences. Highlights include visits to model farms such as Santa Anita, recognized as Costa Rica’s first carbon-neutral coffee farm, and Aquiares Estate, the country’s largest coffee producer, which combines large-scale production with international sustainability certifications such as Rainforest Alliance.
The program also includes an immersion at CATIE, providing access to long-term experiments—some spanning more than two decades—that analyze the economic and environmental viability of agroforestry systems. The mission further features meetings with researchers and experts in coffee genetics and crop management, fostering discussions on innovation, genetic improvement, and adaptation to climate change.
The International Mission takes place from April 13 to 20, 2026, and reinforces the role of the CCA as a collaborative platform that brings together companies, producers, and institutions around a common goal: promoting sustainable practices that ensure water security, environmental conservation, and the long-term viability of agricultural production in the region.
By fostering this international exchange, Cerrado das Águas expands access to global references and accelerates the adoption of innovative solutions on farms in the Cerrado Mineiro, strengthening a production model increasingly aligned with environmental demands and the requirements of the international coffee market.
Coffee nursery at La Finca Hilda Visit to agroforestry systems at Hacienda Alsacia Visit to the coffee processing facility at Hacienda Santa Anita Visit to Hacienda Alsacia, Starbucks’ global research center Prof. Elias de Melo leads CCA delegation through agroforestry systems La Finca Hilda Estate in Costa Rica Connected landscapes at La Finca Hilda agroforestry system Hacienda Santa Anita: Costa Rica’s first carbon-neutral coffee farm Knowledge sharing at Hacienda Alsacia, Starbucks’ global research center Agroforestry in Costa Rica: integrated coffee production and nature CCA delegation exploring agroforestry systems in Costa Rica Knowledge exchange and field experience at Santa Anita Farm
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