Palmeiras Penal Colony launches Amazon Robusta coffee project

The Palmeiras Agricultural Penal Colony in Santo Antônio de Leverger is establishing a new rural production front focused on cultivating Amazon Robusta coffee. The initiative includes the implementation of a 1,000-square-meter seedling nursery and a five-hectare irrigated coffee plantation.

Part of the ‘Semeando um Novo Futuro – Reintegração no Campo’ program, the project aims to expand agricultural activities, provide professional qualification to incarcerated individuals, and strengthen social reintegration through field work. The project is a collaborative effort involving the State Secretariat of Family Agriculture (Seaf), the State Secretariat of Justice (Sejus-MT), and the Mato Grosso Company of Research, Assistance, and Rural Extension (Empaer-MT).

Technical guidance will be provided by Empaer to select coffee clones best suited for local soil and climate conditions, focusing on productivity and beverage quality. The planning also includes assessments of water availability and irrigation infrastructure.