Key Takeaways
Failure to address the impacts of climate change, poor working conditions, and inadequate farm incomes will put the long term viability of coffee at risk.
Coffee farms like Aquiares take steps to mitigate sustainability risk through regenerative agriculture, rainforest and biodiversity protection, fair pay, and innovation.
Consumers can help make coffee sustainable through purchasing Rainforest Alliance certified coffee and from coffee roasters committed to transparency.
As the second most popular beverage in the US, Americans consume over 1.6 billion pounds of coffee each year. The long-term viability of the coffee industry faces several risks, including climate change, poor working conditions, and inadequate farm incomes. Deforestation, soil degradation, and water pollution from full-sun monoculture coffee production contributes to climate change. This results in rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and proliferation of coffee pests and disease that reduce yields for coffee farmers. Due to these factors, it’s estimated that 50% of the land used for coffee production will be unsuitable by 2050. Smallholder coffee farms produce 70% of the world’s coffee and, according to Columbia Center on Sustainable Development, nearly half of these farmers live in poverty. If these trends continue, the livelihood of 120 million people globally who directly or indirectly depend on coffee production could be threatened. Sustainable farming offers a beacon of hope, and aims to address environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity for farmers and society as a whole.
Aquiares Coffee Estate, a multigenerational farm, is Costa Rica’s largest coffee estate and lies along the slopes of Turrialba volcano. The estate has embraced sustainable farm practices for over 20 years. The core elements that make Aquiares a model for sustainable coffee production are regenerative agriculture, rainforest and biodiversity protection, fair wages and employee well-being, and research and innovation.
Regenerative agriculture
Since 2000, Aquiares has planted 50,000 native species of shade trees, transitioning away from full-sun monoculture coffee production to shade grown coffee. The shade trees prevent soil erosion and create natural buffers and springs, connecting two important wildlife corridors. They also provide firewood, support native bird species, and bear fruit for coffee pickers to eat during harvest season. Data collected on the farm has indicated that these trees have lowered the maximum daily temperature by 2℃. This is promising news because coffee plants are sensitive to temperature changes amongst other environmental factors and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change expects temperatures to rise 2℃ by 2050.
Rainforest and biodiversity protection
Aquiares achieved Rainforest Alliance Certification in 2003. The estate has dedicated 20% of its land, or 200 hectares, to rainforest preservation and supporting biodiversity. This commitment and its regenerative farming practices have enabled wildlife to flourish on its farm. There are 76 native species of trees and, over the past two decades, the number of bird speciesdiscovered on the estate has more than tripled to 142. Continued focus on biodiversity protection supports a more adaptable and sustainable coffee crop.
Fair wages and employee well-being
Most of the approximately 2,000 residents in the town of Aquiares work at the estate, fulfilling roles from accountants to coffee pickers. Aquiares pays its employees fair wages, invests in higher education and sponsors medical plans for its employees, including childcare for seasonal workers. About 96%of its employees own their homes as a result of the sustainable wages paid by Aquiares. In addition, Aquiares has established a strict workplace safety program, further promoting the social welfare of the community.
Research and innovation
Aquiares supports scientific research that enables and promotes sustainable coffee farming around the world. In 2007, Aquiares partnered with CIRAD Institute and CATIE University to establish a research station on one hectare of its farm. The Coffee-flux observatory measured the greenhouse gas exchange between the shaded coffee plot and the atmosphere for over 10 years. The data collected led to the creation of an open source model for agroforestry coffee production, which can be used by coffee farmers, technical institutes, and others within the coffee industry around the world. Another notable example is the estate’s collaboration with World Coffee Research (WCR). Working with researchers from WCR, Aquiares planted 43 coffee hybrid varieties in a dedicated test plot, which were observed over a six year period for yield, disease resistance and quality. The study, which involved farms from two other countries, ultimately identified four hybrids that are disease resistant and have promising yields with an average Speciality Coffee Association cupping score greater than 84 points. Aquiares commercially produces one of these varieties today, Centroamericano.
Through its unwavering and continued focus on sustainability, Aquiares has become a net carbon sink, producing 1,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually but removing 4,100 metric tons of CO2 through regenerative agriculture and rainforest preservation. It was the first coffee farm to be certified by the Costa Rican institute NAMA (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action) as carbon neutral. In April, Aquiares shipped the first coffee to be compliant with EU’s regulation on deforestation-free products to Europe.
What consumers can do to help sustainable coffee
To encourage sustainable coffee, consumers must understand the coffee value chain in order to make informed decisions. Coffee farmers provide their harvest to a mill who sort and process the coffee beans. Exporters and importers facilitate the transfer of beans to roasters. Roasters roast, package, and sell their coffee as wholesalers to businesses such as grocery stores or as online retailers directly to consumers.
Consumers can support sustainable coffee farmers by purchasing coffee certified by Rainforest Alliance, a non-profit organization. The Rainforest Alliance Certification focuses on environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and economic viability of farmers. Smallholder farms may not have the resources to pursue certifications, however, so consumers can also select roasters that are committed to transparency. One example is Counter Culture coffee, who releases an annual transparency report.
To ensure the future viability of coffee for farmers and consumers around the world, we need to promote sustainable farming practices by protecting the world’s rainforest and natural habitats, supporting environmentally responsible farming practices and ensuring farmers are paid dignified living wages. With long term sustainability in mind, Aquiares continually reevaluates its practices and focuses on innovation.
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