hul 2004 
BER 
  
  
45 
.48 
lation 
  
CHARACTERIZATION OF COFFEE AGROECOSYSTEMS OF THE STATE OF MINAS 
GERAIS IN BRAZIL 
H. M. R. Alves**, T. G. C. Vieira ", M. P. C. Lacerda ©, M. A. Bertoldo ", H. Andrade ^ 
“Embrapa Café, CxP 176, Epamig/CTSM, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brasil - helena@ufla.br 
*EPAMIG/CTSM, CxP 76, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brasil — (tatiana, matilde)@epamig.ufla.br 
“ UnB, CxP 04508 - Asa Norte, 70910-970, Brasilia, DF, Brasil - marilusa@unb.br 
* UFLA, CxP 37, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brasil - andrade@ufla.br 
Session PS, WG VII/2 
KEY WORDS: Agriculture, Environment, GIS, Land Use, Land Cover, Landscape Modelling, Soil Mapping 
ABSTRACT: 
Coffee is one of Brazil's most important cash crops and the state of Minas Gerais is responsible for approximately 5096 of the 
national production. However, in spite of its importance, updated information about the areas occupied by the crop in the state is 
scarce. This work presents the characterization of coffee agroecosystems of Minas Gerais and evaluates the relationships between the 
crop and the environment. The study was carried out in three 520 km? pilot areas, representative of the production regions of Alto 
Paranaiba (Patrocínio) and Sul de Minas (Sdo Sebastido do Paraíso and Machado). The data was obtained from secondary 
information, interpretation of satellite images and complementary field surveys. GIS and remote sensing were used to integrate and 
model the data from different sources, to map coffee areas and produce thematic maps from each environment. A 
geomorphopedological model was used to map the main soil classes. The relationships between environment and coffee production 
in the selected areas were assessed and quantified. The results showed the main soil, slope and altitude classes in which the crop is 
cultivated, emphasizing the relations between crop management practices and limitations imposed by the environment. The use of 
Landsat images in the mapping of coffee areas, although presenting problems to be solved, constituted an advance over the 
traditional methodologies, especially for the gently undulating landscape of the cerrado ecosystem of the western region of the state, 
where the coffee fields are more extensive and homogeneous. The information obtained can subsidize regional land use planning. 
1 INTRODUCTION assessing and updating environmental information (Burrough & 
Mcdonnell, 1998). 
Coffee is one of Brazil’s most important crops, due to the 
incomes generated by exportation and the social benefits the Due to the constant changes observed in the state's coffee 
coffee agribusiness propitiates. However, in spite of its production sector during the last decades and as a requirement 
importance, updated information about the areas occupied by for future planning, it is important to characterize these areas 
the crop is scarce and when available, normally at high levels of and establish efficient methodologies to map and monitor these 
aggregation and/or small scales. The state of Minas Gerais is fields, with the possibility of an easier periodical updating of the 
responsible for approximately half of the national production, information. ; 
concentrated mainly in its southern region, which accounts for 
approximately 50% of the state’s total production. Nevertheless, This work is part of a project to characterize coffee 
the greatest expansion of coffee fields in Minas Gerais has been agroecosystems of the state of Minas Gerais using 
observed in the regions of Alto Paranaiba and Triangulo geotecnologies to evaluate the relationships between the 
Mineiro, both in the region now known as coffee of the cerrado. physical environment, emphasizing soils and relief, and local 
This region presents today the highest area and productivity coffee production systems. It is expected that the quantitative 
growth rates observed in the state. Since 1984/85, the number of and spatial information obtained can subsidize better regional 
coffee producing properties increased 40% and the increase in land use planning. 
the area occupied by the crop and the number of productive 
coffee plants was even more expressive, reaching 150% 
(MINAS GERAIS, 1995). 2 METHODOLOGY 
Sound agricultural planning requires, first, the knowledge of the To characterize the main coffee agroecosystems of Minas 
environment in which the activity is inserted. The Gerais, two of the most important production regions where 
characterization of complex environments such agroecosystems selected, the physiographic regions of Sul de Minas and Alto 
usually required their subdivision into more homogeneous Paranaiba. Due to differences observed in the environment and 
segments, which, after the characterization, were reintegrated coffee management practices, within the Sul de Minas region 
into the whole ecosystem. Information systems however, have two representative pilot areas of 520 km2 were chosen, one 
modified the methodology used in the survey of natural around the city of Machado and the other around the city of Sao 
resources. Combining the advances of digital cartography, Sebastido do Paraiso. To represent the region of Alto Paranaiba, 
database management systems and remote sensing with the another 520 square kilometers study area around the city of 
development of geographical analysis, GIS offers a new way for Patrocinio was selected. 
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