Without coffee farmers there is no coffee. It is vital that we clarify that fact straight away! The importance of the work that these coffee farmers around the world do cannot even be measured. This is why the protection and sustainability of these farmers should be a top priority for anyone that is involved in the coffee business. Be sure to read on below to find out some of the helpful ways in which we can protect these coffee farmers from going completely bust.
Diversifying Business Through Agrotourism
The process of agrotourism allows for coffee farmers to diversify their income and not just rely on the farming aspect alone. There are examples of this throughout the world such as the Café de Monteverde in Costa Rica, when tourists arrive here, they can experience educational tours around the coffee farm as well as sampling different coffee beans. This element of attracting tourists has been found to be a huge help in ensuring a sustainable income for these coffee farmers, especially as there are often flunctuations in the trading market of coffee beans.
Deterring Coffee Pests & Insects
Due to the increase in temperature caused by climate change there has been an increase on the amount of pests and insects that can be found around coffee plants which can completely devour and destroy good quality crops if they are left untreated. An example of these pests are the borer beetles that are rife across coffee farms in Colombia, these pests reproduce at a concerningly fast rate and can overwhelm farmers if they lack the support or measures to deal with them. Developments have also been made in the production of coffee bean variants that will be resistant to rust and diseases, the Colombian government have invested around $1.4 billion to replace the current coffee crops with rust-resistant coffee strains.
Reducing Carbon Emissions
We must look to lower carbon emissions in coffee production as this is crucial for long-term sustainability and the future of coffee. This can also help coffee farmers to gain an advantage over their competitors as buyers will prefer to go to more environmentally friendly farmers. Going back to Costa Rica, they really are the pioneers in carbon-neutral coffee production. They are one of the winners of the first Earthshot Prize, in acknowledgement of the country’s efforts to reverse harm to its environment and progress in a sustainable manner.
This is because they were the first country to introduce a Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action plan, this plan aims to help coffee farmers to reduce their carbon emissions. As well as this, the company Coopedata which is based in Costa Rica became the first company in the world to be recognised for complete carbon neutrality on an international standard. If the rest of the world can follow in the brave footsteps of Costa Rica then these coffee farmers will never go bust.
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