Coopercitrus evaluates cocoa and canephora coffee as an income option in SP Credit: Disclosure. At a time when rural producers were looking for new ways to reduce risks, supplement income and make better use of the property's areas, Coopercitrus presented on two fronts of agricultural diversification with potential for the interior of São Paulo: Cacau 4.0, developed in partnership with Gencau, and the Canephora SP Program, carried out in partnership with the Government of the State of São Paulo. The initiatives were presented from July 27th to 31st, in Bebedouro (SP), as part of the Coopercitrus Expo program. The proposal was to show how the cooperative structures new crops in the field, generating regional information, technical support and practical observation of growing conditions. The projects were of particular interest to citrus growers impacted by the advance of greening and to producers who sought alternatives to diversify income, reduce exposure to risks and better plan the use of the property. "Diversification needs to be built on a technical basis. The cooperative's role is to test, generate information and guide producers so that they can evaluate new crops more safely", stated Matheus Marino, president of the Board of Directors of Coopercitrus. During the fair, producers were able to see technological showcases, talk to experts and understand which factors should be considered before starting a new crop, such as climate, soil, water availability, investment, labor, market, management and return time. The approach followed the logic of Coopercitrus Expo itself: bringing the producer closer to solutions, information and opportunities that would help with decision-making within the property. Coopercitrus evaluates cocoa and canephora coffee as an income option in SP Credit – Archives Coopercitrus Cacau 4.0 evaluated cultivation models in the interior of São Paulo. Cacau 4.0 focused on the agronomic validation of cocoa in the conditions of the interior of São Paulo. The initiative included the implementation of a technological showcase at the Coopercitrus Credicitrus Coperfam Foundation, in Bebedouro, where genetic materials, planting systems, water management and crop adaptation were evaluated. Coopercitrus and Gencau studied different management models, including cultivation in full sun and shaded systems. In the shaded model, the proposal included the use of bananas and auxiliary plants, in addition to evaluating spacing, wind barriers and drip and micro-sprinkler irrigation. Gencau participated by supplying seedlings and technical support related to the production chain, from implementation to connection with industrial processing. Cocoa was also able to dialogue with production systems with an environmental focus, such as agroforestry models and areas in need of plant restoration, as long as the technical and economic conditions of each property are respected. "Producers in São Paulo now have an alternative to existing crops, with a technical base and professionalism. At the same time, we were able to develop technologies that can be taken to other producing regions", said Adriano Sartori Pedroso, CEO of Gencau. Coopercitrus evaluates cocoa and canéfora coffee as an income option in SP Credit: Disclosure Canéfora coffee gained pilot areas in São Paulo Canéfora coffee, also known as conilon or robusta, was another diversification front presented by Coopercitrus. The Canephora SP Program was launched by the State Government and reached the cooperative during Coopercitrus Expo 2025, when a partnership was signed with the Department of Agriculture and Supply. Since then, technicians from Coopercitrus, Fundação Coopercitrus Credicitrus Coperfam and partner institutions have conducted pilot areas to evaluate genetic materials adapted to the conditions of the interior of São Paulo. At the Foundation, canephora was already in experimental production. The cooperative also worked on structuring a larger showcase, with demonstration plots and partner technologies, to expand observation of the culture and support future technical recommendations. “We want to bring new options to producers, especially citrus growers who are looking for alternatives in the face of the advance of greening”, highlighted Marcelo Bassi, consultant at Fundação Coopercitrus Credicitrus Coperfam. The quality of the grains was also under evaluation. Cup tests with lots from the Canephora SP Program have already indicated potential for positioning in segments with higher added value. Seedlings and technical assistance were decisive points One of the challenges for the advancement of canephora coffee in São Paulo was the availability of seedlings. Today, most certified nurseries are concentrated in traditional producing states. To reduce this dependence, Coopercitrus and the Fundação Coopercitrus Credicitrus Coperfam evaluated the formation of varietal fields in São Paulo soil, focusing on local production of seedlings. The structure of the program included field days, demonstration units and training for technicians and producers. The intention was to create a regional technical base to support the development of culture more safely. “Our technical team is mobilized to support the producer, from soil and climate analysis to agronomic and management recommendations,” said Thiago Oliveira, coffee specialist at Coopercitrus. Coopercitrus evaluates cocoa and canephora coffee as an income option in SP Credit: Disclosure Diversification required planning Coopercitrus reinforced that diversifying did not just mean replacing one crop with another. Entry into a new activity needed to consider the area's vocation, investment capacity, water availability, labor, buyer market, technical assistance and turnaround time. Therefore, the projects arrived at the Expo as showcases of knowledge and decision-making. The objective was to allow the producer to see, ask questions, compare possibilities and understand which steps should be considered before investing. A p