STiR coffee and tea magazine

32 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 3, 2018 (June / July) The World Coffee Producers Forum (WCPF), which held its first event in Medellin in July 2017 has decided to take the huge success of that global gathering to the next level. Having brought together presidents Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia and Bill Clinton of the U.S., all man- ner of coffee associations, many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and, most importantly, growers large and tiny from every coffee cultivating country on earth, the forum gave growers a chance to voice con- cerns and demands. For small stakeholders, this was the first time they had a platform to speak to the world directly, and they used it–mainly to demand pricing eq- uity, a bigger share of the global value chain in return for the sweat of their brow. It is no accident that the organizer of the first WCPF was the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Co- lombia (FNC), a unique organization, fully-owned by that country's participating coffee farmers, and which has led the way in developing the sector economically, technologically and socially through its many programs. WCPF to be Non-profit Representing Farmers It has, typically, decided to take the momentum created by the Forum and use it to extend, through partnerships with major actors in world finance, sustainable agronomy, and most of the world's national coffee councils, the benefits from Colombian growers to growers worldwide. Meeting with the International Coffee Council (ICO) in Mexico City in April, represen- tatives of WCPF asked ICO to play a key role in implementing initiatives such as promo- tion of consumption in producing countries and emerging markets, and facilitating dia- logue between growers and the rest of the actors in the coffee chain. They also discussed the crucial need for concrete actions to improve producers' income through joint work with other actors in the chain; increasing coffee prices; reducing practices that contribute to climate change and the urgent need to increase productivity to meet growing demand. William Murray, c.e.o. of the National Coffee Association (USA) warned that "according to some estimates the world will have to double coffee production by 2050," further stating, "the coffee value chain needs to secure that coffee production is sustainable to meet this future global demand". The good news on that front is, as Ric Rhinehardt, president of the Specialty Coffee Association, noted, "today's consumers demand excellent quality as well as the assur- ance that their coffee is being produced sustainably." Meaning that consumer aware- ness can and should be translated into higher retail prices through broad communications strategies. As M. B. Bopanna of the India Coffee Trust, said of India's 450 million-strong middle class, "If we expose them to the quality and benefits of coffee, we can increase consump- tion in our country significantly". As agreed during the initial WCP Forum, economist and Columbia University pro- fessor Jeffrey Sachs, who is also special advisor to the UN Secretary General on the Sustainable Development Goals, was commissioned to conduct research into economic and policy analysis for improving smallholder coffee producers' incomes. Prof. Sachs presented the initial structure of the study to ICO in Mexico. Preliminary results will be presented in September 2018 and conclusions in March 2019. The final report will be presented at the 2nd World Coffee Producers Forum in July 2019. Ishak Lukenge, a board member of the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) said, "We are all co-responsible to make the coffee value-chain sustainable as a whole, but also each one of the links that constitute it". With the impending incorporation of WCPF as a global coffee growers' non-profit, its reach and resources stand to make it a player on a par with commodities markets and retailers. ested as conservation corridors. As part of this initiative, local rural teams encouraged growers to plant four main shade tree species, although they could also choose other species. The program also gave young entrepreneurs grants to set up tree nurseries, which allowed them to earn money by providing the seedlings the growers needed. There are tough challenges to getting a large proportion of farmers to adopt 'best practices' al- though it is crucial to improving yields enough to make shade-grown coffee profitable. The project's 2014 annual report stated: "It is expected that the Renovation Program will help to increase yields post 2013." And indeed, by 2015- 16, those farms saw yields rise to 1,364 kg/ha (the national average is 1,123 kg/ha). The adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices has reduced deforestation in high-altitude regions in Colombia, (as well as Mexico and Peru, which also participat- ed) and increased resilience from climate change by helping coffee farmers improve their yields. But the road ahead is rocky. The average age of coffee farmers is 56 years, and with lower skills levels and working remote farms, they are less likely to adopt new practices and technologies, making yield im- Juan Valle, at his finca "D'Arrieros" in Antioquia, Colombia project called the Renovation Program. The Colombian section, managed in close cooperation with the FNC, included 5,282 producers around Tatamá National Park in Risaralda, Caldas. The objective was to promote climate- smart practices that increase productivity and resilience. The program trained 192 agronomists and established 900 demonstration farms in Risaralda alone. Two or more practices were adopted by 60% of farmers, and 720 hectares were converted from non-shade to reforested land. 376 hectares were refor-

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