Sustainability
Sustainability is At Our core
“Sustainable” is simply part of who we are. Since the beginning, our forefathers operated in a way to ensure our workers’ well being and to care for our land for future generations.
The family farm is much more than a working business – it’s a self-sustaining “agro-village” home to 47 resident families. These families cultivate and sustain a strong sense of community. Housing is provided for farmworkers and their families free of charge. There is also a church, a health clinic, a social club for gatherings and dances as well as a soccer field.
Back in the 1950’s, a small turbine and generator were installed at the farm to harness the waterfall’s natural power. This solution allows the farm to operate completely off the power grid for 11 months per year. The same generator is still used today, powering both the homes and processing equipment.
In addition to this, 20% of the farm property is an untouched forest. All wastewater is treated to avoid polluting the pristine/ beautiful stream that runs through the farm and dried coffee husks are used for soil fertilization as well as to power the processing equipment. The use of renewable energy ultimately helps us remain as sustainable as possible and keeps the land around the farm in great condition so that we can continue to produce outstanding coffee.
All these important initiatives and practices would not be complete without one absolutely vital thing: education. Our village has a school, named after my great-grandmother Mathilde Carvalho Dias, built on land donated by the farm. 700 children from all around the Mogiana Valley come to the school, with access to free education. Each child is provided a free meal each school day as well. Mogiana Coffee is able to not only pay a fair price for coffees it buys, but directly supports individuals, families, and the community as a whole. A key component of our farm is its workers, which is why we find social responsibility to be such a crucial part of successful operations.
