A conservation pilot project has been launched in Patrocínio, in the Córrego Feio basin

Innovative initiative protects water resources and promotes sustainability in Patrocínio-MG

Source: Hoje Rural

The Cerrado das Águas Consortium launched the Conscious Producer Investment Program (PIPC) in Patrocínio, MG, a partnership with rural producers in the Córrego Feio Basin in Patrocínio, MG, aimed at reducing the risks of climate change through the implementation of good production and conservation practices.

Transcript of "Preservation pilot program launched in Patrocínio"

Luiz Antônio Costa - Rede Hoje | TV Hoje:

The Conscious Producer Investment Program was launched in Patrocínio. This program is an initiative of the Cerrado das Águas Consortium. Initially, it will be implemented in the Córrego Feio, a water source that supplies the city of Patrocínio.

Later, it will be implemented in seven more municipalities in the region, forming an ecological corridor. The consortium's motto is "Today's water is the fruit of the landscape we have built." To define the needs of each property, the Conscious Producer Investment Program (PIPC) field team, in partnership with the producer, will carry out an Individual Property Project (PIP), which will assess the necessary interventions and define the terms of the partnership, such as costs, deadlines, counterpart contributions, and indicators.

Ana Lima - Executive Secretary | Cerrado das Águas Consortium

The Conscious Producer Investment Program is a program that originated as a sponsorship, was co-created with producers and local stakeholders, and is being funded by coffee brands, coffee cooperatives, and the largest critical ecosystem fund on the planet. This is the fund's biggest investment in the country. The program is composed of three fronts: restoration, climate management, and water resource management. The objective of this program is to make sponsorship, or Córrego Feio (Ugly Creek), resilient to climate change in the long term. The goal of the program is to test the concept in sponsorship and expand to seven other municipalities over the next eight years.

Luiz Antônio Costa - Rede Hoje | TV Hoje:

To put the project into action, the Cerrado das Águas Consortium, through the Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation, received a financial investment of US$400,000, the largest project ever funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, from roasting companies and cooperatives such as Coxupé and Expocassé, to pay for the maintenance of its team for five years.

Simão Pedro de Lima - Superintendent of Expocaccer:

This Water Consortium takes care of the most important element we have for life, which is water. It's a pilot project that started here in the Feio stream, which is anything but ugly, it's a very beautiful stream, by the way. And Expocaccer, within its policy of socio-environmental responsibility, which it always prioritizes, joined this consortium, this program, along with other companies that are concerned about this issue. And we are effectively part of it, not just in name; the cooperative has this environmental respect, it has this environmental responsibility program, environmental education, it's even part of the cooperative's internal programs. And we couldn't, obviously, representing the Cerrado as Expocaccer does, we couldn't be left out of this project so important for environmental issues.

Luiz Antônio Costa - Rede Hoje | TV Hoje:

The total amount raised by the project, up to 2023, is US$900,000, approximately 3.6 million.

Michael Becker - Coordinator of the Cerrado Citrus Park Fund:

In terms of investment, this is undoubtedly one of the fund's largest projects. It also operates in Africa, in Andean countries, here in South America as well, and in Asia. So, there are really several countries that benefit from the fund, which primarily works on biodiversity conservation. And here in Brazil, we have a significant investment, and this project here in Brazil is one of the fund's largest projects in the country.

We are not alone, which was also one of the reasons why we invested so many resources in this issue.

Luiz Antônio Costa - Rede Hoje | TV Hoje:

Therefore, producers within the basin must maintain coffee and livestock farming within global sustainability standards. The results will be evaluated jointly by the PICP team, the producers themselves, and their peers.

Juliano Tarabal, Superintendent of FCC | Federation of Coffee Growers of the Cerrado:

Exactly, Luiz Antônio. Now we're literally moving from planning to action, because after the diagnosis of the Córrego Feio basin, we structured an action plan, a strategy for restoration, reforestation, and environmental education with the producers in the Córrego Feio basin, which will be executed by the Cerrado das Águas consortium team, which will be with us at the Federation of Coffee Growers of the Cerrado, and together with the other partners of the consortium, as presented here. We have EMATER, which will be a very important partner in the field. We have water specialist technicians from the region itself to work on monitoring both the volume and quality of water in the Córrego Feio basin. So it's a combination of partners. We also have investor partners, the roasters, Nespresso, Nestlé, and Lavasa, who are investing and believing in this project. So all of this made it possible for us to now implement this action, which aims to reach around 70 producers and 100 properties in the Córrego Feio basin.

Gláucio de Castro - President of the Cerrado das Águas Consortium

We are very pleased that this project has come here, because it benefits the municipality, the entire region, and will bring visibility to our producers here, who are truly sustainable.

Claudia Leite - Corporate Communications, Nespresso Brazil

Brazil is the largest supplier of coffee to Nespresso, and the Patrocínio region is one of the most important. And we wanted not only to acquire excellent coffee, which is what we have in our capsules, but also to do so sustainably and through water. The coffee producer is also a water producer, because it's no use having an excellent quality product if it's not produced in balance with the environment.

So it made sense in 2008, when we arrived here and thought, together with UCN and Imaflora, about what we could do and a whole diagnosis, which today we celebrate with this growing partnership.

Luiz Antônio Costa - Rede Hoje | TV Hoje:

The pilot program in the Córrego Feio Basin will last 18 months, serving 100 properties. The expansion of the project to other municipalities, which is one of the consortium's next targets, depends on a fundraising strategy to be defined at the end of 2020. The goal is to cover seven municipalities within six to seven years, municipalities that produce 70% of the coffee in the Minas Gerais Cerrado biome.

Claudia Leite - Corporate Communications, Nespresso Brazil

This is a large pilot project, and from what we were discussing, it's not just a pilot project in this region or for Nespresso, but a model that, even globally, doesn't yet have many examples of its application. And we do want this to be a success story, so we can first expand within that ecological corridor. It's no use having a sustainable island in the middle of other regions that aren't as sustainable, and then consolidate it here before moving on to the next one. And we are certain that this will happen very successfully, because there will be several key players here, whether they are producers, public officials, civil society, or the general population.

Ronaldo Correa de Lima - Superintendent of DAEPA | Water and Sewage Department of Patrocínio - MG

We are happy to know that someone is concerned about the Feio Stream. But we would like to remind you that in 2005, when we were at the Water Department, we made an agreement with UNICEF, which was very important for this project and other future projects, namely the PRAD, the Degraded Area Recovery Program. And to see this happening now, without a doubt, makes us very happy to know that there is a partner concerned not only with the Feio Stream, but with other basins as well. But especially the Feio Stream basin, which is of greatest interest to us. Without a doubt, we believe that this partnership will help us a lot. But DAEPA is already concerned about the Feio Stream. Since 1965, there has been this concern, which is a law that mandates the monitoring of the Feio Stream, and which was practiced for a very short time. Now, with the approval of Mayor Deiró, we have resumed monitoring the Feio Stream. It was being used as a recreational area and was being disrespected. We had support from Cervivo, we put up monitoring signs there, and our personnel are monitoring. We have ground and aerial monitoring. Today we have a drone that monitors the Feio Stream once or twice a week.

Luiz Antônio Costa - Rede Hoje | TV Hoje:

Producers whose properties are located within the Feio Stream basin and who voluntarily register at the headquarters of the Coffee Growers Federation by August 23rd can participate in the PIPC. Appointments can be made by phone at 34-3831-2096.

Gláucio de Castro - President of the Cerrado das Águas Consortium

I think there will be a very big decision because this is a benefit for everyone in the Córrego Feio basin. So I think this is very important and if I were there, I would think it's good. And our intention is also to expand to other municipalities, other basins in the region as well.