Brazil's Coffee Deforestation Linked to Rainfall Decline

Coffee Watch found that coffee cultivation in Brazil drove roughly 737,000 hectares of forest loss across major producing regions between 2002 and 2023, including more than 312,000 hectares cleared directly for coffee. Researchers and Reuters reporting link that forest loss to reduced rainfall and soil moisture, with NASA data showing soil moisture declines up to 25% in top producing zones, contributing to crop failures, lower yields and higher production costs. Coffee Watch warned that continued deforestation threatens the industry’s future and urged rapid adoption of sustainable agroforestry, which currently covers under 1% of key coffee zones. Brazil’s exporters’ group Cecafe disputed aspects of the analysis and its municipality-level methodology, saying the report does not fully account for native vegetation preservation on farms. Analysts say continued forest-driven expansion could ultimately jeopardize long-term coffee supply and rural livelihoods.