Adaptation and Implementation of Methods of Precision Agriculture for Small- and Medium-sized Coffee Farms in Central America

The coffee crisis in Central America

The recent collapse of the coffee price, caused by the strong competition of highly mechanized agriculture in countries like Brazil as well as by low-cost production like in Vietnam, plunged the Central American coffee sector into a deep crisis. This crisis affects above all the small and medium coffee farmers, who in the case of Costa Rica represent 98.38% of the farmers and who produce 77% of the country’s coffee. Ten years ago, the farmers received one-third of the sales price, today it is just 10%. These farmers have no chance to profit from the market by vertical integration, which again causes an unjust dependence and a concentration of the marketing benefits to a few multinational coffee roasters.

In years of high coffee prices, the coffee zones have been expanded into regions with ecologically doubtful prerequisites. Often, intensive farming methods cause degradation of the soil and damage to the environment. In addition, the farmers had no access to knowledge of the geo-ecological characteristics of their farmland, which resulted in an undifferentiated use of agricultural input and prevented them from profitable and sustainable production. Instead of concentrating on the productive areas, often non-profitable plots were subsidized by profitable ones. This, together with undifferentiated use of inputs, leads the businesses into financial difficulties. The natural resources were degraded in a way, which makes it almost impossible to create a profitable and sustainable crop production in the future.

Many agricultural inputs, such as pesticides and fertilizers, are produced in industrialized countries and must be purchased against strong currencies, which increases the farmer’s dependency. There are recommendations for the application of agricultural inputs. However, these recommendations are available only for an entire region and therefore are very general, they niether take into consideration the structures of the businesses nor the biotic and abiotic prerequisites of the fields. Since the intensification of the coffee production, alternative survival strategies have become neglected. The farmers even have to buy their basic food, which has been removed to increase coffee production. The production of label coffee is being promoted, however it is not yet very disseminated even though it is the single sector of growing demand.

The multilateral origins of the crisis can be divided into the tree categories: economical, ecological and social problems.

The Central American coffee crop is characterized by its need for intensive labor, by the use of low technology and by mountainous topography. So far no viable Precision Agriculture program has been developed for these conditions.

Precision Agriculture, the concept of the future

The goal of Precision Agriculture is a more efficient and more sustainable use of the natural and the resources of the farm. Many definitions claim that in order to promote crop production, the use of GPS Global Positioning System to be the integral component, when in fact the variability of agro-ecological and economical parameters is the basic aspect of the concept. Precision Agriculture is not an agricultural system, but rather an option for a more efficient and more sustainable farm management. Detailed information of the biotic and abiotic characteristics of the soil, crop, as well as of the economical situation of the farm, reduces the use of agricultural input to a necessary minimum and thus promotes a more precise use of the resources.

The concept was developed in the tempered zone and for its crops. Nevertheless, adaptations for tropical crops, and, of course for coffee, are now available. The Central American coffee crop, however, is characterized by its need for intensive labor, by the use of low technology and by mountainous topography. So far no viable program has been developed for these conditions.

The concept implies a two-stage action:

1. Recognition of the variability in the field, like for example: yield differences, soil structure, nutrient management and other agro-ecological factors, and inefficiency in the production process and in the marketing chain.
2. Site Specific Management based on previously gathered data.

This implies the promotion of transparency and traceability of the different steps of production and the fine-tuning of a high quality product.

Precision Agriculture is nothing but a management tool for a more sustainable (economically, ecologically and socially) and transparent production of agricultural goods. In this sense, it is not meant as a new form of agriculture, but rather as a concept that can be used for all agricultural systems.


First, concluded project phases: Evaluation of the potential of Precision Agriculture

In the first project phase the potential of Precision Agriculture for the Costa Rican coffee sector, to be extended to the production areas of Central America, was assessed. For the assessment, various Precision Agriculture tools were tested. These included GPS, GIS Geographical Information Systems and various computer programs for the data compilation, analysis, and representation of the data. To estimate the sustainability and acceptance of the concept, opinions of farmers were collected by means of questionnaires, supplemented with information from technicians and coffee specialists.

The results of the study showed that the concept of Precision Agriculture is adaptable to Central American conditions and can be made accessible to all farmers. The financial investment into the transformation of the farm also is possible for all concerned.
In order to reach a level of advanced Precision Agriculture, a higher investment is required, which, however, can be shared among different farmers, in a way that it remains affordable for every single farmer. Possibilities of the joint use and maintenance of computer infrastructure, expert systems and databases are planned for small- and medium–sized farms through a Service-Center „Centro de Servicio Técnico“. The farmer, therefore, does not need to buy a computer, nor does he need to know how to use it. Further information about the setup of Service-Centers can be found in the next chapter of this document.

The contribution of Precision Agriculture to sustainable development is significant.

Economical sustainability: Data, which was gathered according to the concept of Precision Agriculture, enabled better understanding and knowledge of the ecological and economical characteristics of each plot of the plantation, all the operational aspects and, at the same time, of the production processes, which become more transparent. This provides the means to make precise site specific decisions, thus improving farm management and the marketing strategies of the coffee. The overall investment into Precision Agriculture is compensated by lower production costs, higher yields and better coffee quality.

Ecological sustainability: The awareness of the soil and plant characteristics and the environment limits the use of inputs of fertilizer and pesticides to the precise amount needed in any specific area of the plantation for sustainable crop production without ecological damage.

Social sustainability: The results show that the existing survival strategies are supported and encouraged. There are many promising synergies between Precision Agriculture and label coffee production. Precision Agriculture leads the way to define suitable areas for organically grown coffee. The encouragement of the survival strategies diminishes the dependence of the farmers.

The first phase of the project included the evaluation of the potentials of Precision Agriculture for small- and medium-sized coffee farms. The results show that substantial improvements of the farmer’s livelihood are possible and that there are ways out of the crisis with the help of Precision Agriculture. The following chapter outlines how the second phase of the project looks like.

The results of the study showed that the concept of Precision Agriculture is adaptable to Central American conditions and can be made accessible to all farmers. The financial investment into the transformation of the farm also is possible for all concerned.

Second project phase (to be started in 2004): Implementation

The goal of the second phase of the project is to set up a Service-Center „Centro de Servicio Técnico“ in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Once this proves successful, comparable centers will be established in other areas of Costa Rica, as well as throughout Central America.

The plan is to work only with interested farmers, who will become active members. They will be gathering data as dictated by the rules of Precision Agriculture and will turn in the collected data to the Service-Center for detailed analysis. The site specific, precise recommendations and suggestions will be returned to the farmer to optimize his production. With each farmer who joins the Center, the quantity of data accumulated will increase and provide useful information, not only for individual farmers but for all clients of the Center.

The system described will turn all farms of the Service-Center into applied research units constantly improved and adapted for future needs. The farmers who correctly execute the recommendations made by the Service-Center, will be gratified for their efforts by becoming officially approved label coffee producers. Their product will be sold with the corresponding certificate of origin. The system also automatically controls the quality of the service rendered by the Service-Center and will avoid the inefficiency of the past which too often was tolerated with impunity.

This enables a vertical integration into the market and will diminish the dependence of the farmers. For the first time in history, it will be possible to compensate the single farmer for the quality of his delivered cherries, which will create a stimulus for a more profitable production.

The setting up of the Service-Center will have to be financed in the first years. However, the goal is that over time each of the established Service-Centers will become independent and financially self-sufficient. At that point, a contribution by the clients of the Service-Center will be requested in the form of payment per quantity of coffee delivered. Additionally the Center will offer consulting service for large farms.

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Addresses:

Klaus Budmiger Flotron AG Meiringen budmiger@flotron.ch

André Helfenberger Agro Asesores Turrialba, Costa Rica agroas@racsa.co.cr

Peter Läderach Universität Bern Kehrsatz laderach@catie.ac.cr