STiR coffee and tea magazine

STiR coffee and tea 11 NEWS Celebrating Women in Coffee The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations estimates that women comprise 43% of the labor force in agriculture as farmers, laborers, and entrepreneurs. On International Women's Day (March 8) The Interna- tional Coffee Organization (ICO) drew attention to the role women play in coffee. Executive director Jose Sette called for closing the gender gap in agriculture, including coffee production. Studies show that women run globally between 25% and 35% of coffee farms. "Clearly there is a need for better public policies and provision of services to help overcome the barriers women face across the coffee farming community," he said. Women working in coffee face even greater barriers than their male counterparts, according to Sette. Female coffee producers have lower yields and lower income than their male peers due to less access to land ownership, credit, markets, technology, seeds, water, information, education, and other services, according to ICO. These constraints are often due to gender norms and cultural barriers. Sette said ICO will make women in coffee the theme of this year's October 1 celebration of International Coffee Day "as well as in our wider programs." "It is in all our interests to empower women in the international coffee community. I look forward to working with our members and partners to help make this happen," he said. See, A Surge of Global Initiatives Promote Gender Equity, pg. 38 Colombia Coffee Renewal The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) has now planted 78% of its coffee lands in disease resistant stock, according to c.e.o. Roberto Vélez. Production topped 14.2 million 60-kilo bags in 2017 with exports of 13.1 million bags and domestic consump- tion at 1.75 million bags. During his annual press briefing at the National Coffee Association's convention, Vélez expressed pride in the fact that an average 81,000 hectares per year of coffee trees have been renewed, making Colombia's coffee farms young again. Productivity in bags per hectare has increased to 18.8 on average and the age of trees has fallen to 7.1 years. Currently 86% of the nation's trees are considered young growth. The rate of infection by coffee rust has declined below 3.1% and coffee berry borer infestation was below 2%. More of Colombia's coffee exports are graded as specialty (43%) and processed (19%). Since 2000 the percentage of commercial grade coffee has declined from 88% to 38%. In 2016 FNC launched a national quality competition to promote the finest of that country's coffees for export. Eduardo Villota, who produces Cafe San Alberto coffee, was award the top prize in 2017. The coffee was later auctioned at $31 per pound, one of the highest prices paid for specialty grade Colombian arabica. "Delivering this premium shows us that specialty coffee is undoubtedly of greater profitability to coffee farmers," said Vélez.

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