Founded in 1887 by Emperor D. Pedro II, the Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC) is a research institute of the São Paulo Agribusiness Technology Agency, in the São Paulo State Department of Agriculture and Food Supply. Today it is considered the most respected research and development agro-agency in the country.
It aims to foster research actions in accordance with the demands of the agricultural sector; foresee and propose demands; develop and transfer products and processes; produce technical and scientific bibliographical material; guide the formulation of public policies; formulate scientific and critical competencies; contribute to food security, and propose innovative products and processes.
The IAC has several Research Centers and one of them is the Alcides Carvalho Coffee Center, which conducts various types of scientific research related to coffee cultivation, providing technology and products for this segment. Its coffee research program seeks to increase the efficiency of the production chain, in addition to the product quality, contributing to the evolution of national coffee production.
It is supported by researchers from the Center itself, as well as researchers from other state and federal institutions, such as universities, companies, research institutes, and coffee producers. They are specialists in the areas of biotechnology, socioeconomics, agroclimatology, phytopathology, chemistry, and grains and drink quality inspection.
Several studies, research pieces, and diagnostic tests are carried out there, which generate patents, and scientific papers/book publications. The results are widely disseminated through media resources. The Coffee Center also serves local producers and the State Government, besides providing lectures in training courses. Its interiors are also available for practical activities for professionals and students from the field.
The Coffee Center’s main results are the IAC coffee cultivars, which, so far, total 65 registrations and one protected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA). The main particularities of these cultivars are their high productivity, wide adaptation to different producing regions, resistance to pests and diseases, and excellent drinking quality.
