GS13053-Transforming Coffee Production Systems in Brazil with Agroforestry to Store Carbon, Regenerate Ecosystems, and Improve Farmer Livelihoods in Mantiqueira de Minas

In partnership with Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung, GrowGrounds is transforming coffee monocultures in Brazil’s Mantiqueira region into regenerative agroforestry systems that sequester carbon, restore biodiversity, and strengthen farm resilience. Over a 30-year period, the initiative will convert 500 to 1,500 hectares of coffee land and engage more than 200 smallholder farmers. By integrating trees into coffee systems compatible with mechanized harvesting and cattle grazing, the project provides a scalable model that improves soil health, enhances climate resilience, and supports landscape restoration. Beyond carbon sequestration, the project generates strong social and environmental benefits. Farmers receive 70% of carbon revenues, benefit from improved working conditions through shade-grown systems, and gain diversified long-term income opportunities. The project area borders the Serra do Papagaio State Park, a protected area of approx. 22,917 hectares within the Mantiqueira Mountain Range, a critical water source for southeastern Brazil. The park conserves remnants of the Atlantic Forest biome, one of the world’s most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems. To assess biodiversity imp