Flowins, Brazil

Located in Santana da Vargem, Minas Gerais, Flowins supports coffee producers across Brazil to use more efficient and sustainable crop management practices to improve the quality of their coffees. 

The team wants to implement regenerative agriculture practices with around 80 partner producers. Flowins will work with reNature to encourage regenerative practices at scale to rebuild the soil, currently threatened by the heavy use of pesticides and fertilizers used in monoculture production.

With a current total of 80 producers, the project could currently benefit over 600 families. However, Flowins expect their current partnerships to increase, with the potential to benefit up to 1000 families.

Scaling regenerative coffee production

The use of pesticides and fertilisers in monoculture coffee production in Brazil has led to devastating levels of soil degradation and a dramatic decrease in local biodiversity. In order to counteract these negative impacts, Flowins wants to create replicable processes for growing coffee that not only preserve the microbiota of the soil but also provide a reliable source of income for local farmers. 

Together with Flowins, reNature will develop a Model Farm to test regenerative practices in coffee production, before scaling the results to a Model School to facilitate the necessary capacity-building to incorporate many production partners in the region.

Protecting microorganisms in the soil 

The overarching objective is to revive the microbiota of the soil through regenerative agroforestry practices, reversing the degradation caused by intensive agriculture. This project will demonstrate the undeniable correlation between soil quality and the quality of the coffee itself, with the intention of bringing this environmental awareness to local coffee producers.

Flowins will use its vast network of producers to raise awareness of regenerative practices across the community and implement them at scale across the region. In this way, the project will have a tangible impact on soil quality at scale. 

With a total plot of 50ha, this project will have a considerable impact on soil quality, local biodiversity, and water conservation. Flowins wants to focus heavily on protecting microorganisms in the soil, thereby reducing the impact of pesticides and intensification. Given the scalability of this project, the carbon sequestration potential and impact on local flora and fauna are extremely promising.

Creating opportunities for generations to come  

One of the main objectives of the project is to scale knowledge of regenerative agroforestry cultivation of coffee within the local community and assist producers in all stages, from implementation, farm management, to commercialization. A big emphasis is placed on employment creation through crop diversification and the transmission of knowledge through a Model School setup. The ultimate goal is to provide jobs and food security for current and future generations.

In addition to job security for at least 600 families and employment creation for future generations, Flowins will contribute to greater economic resilience among the local community. This is done through the distribution of income and access to premium prices by attracting new buyers with the regenerative agriculture concept.