Over 2 billion cups are consumed every day. Coffee, over the past decades, has achieved remarkable success in terms of consumption. Questions related to the negative environmental impact of coffee cultivation are raised by consumers who become more conscious of sustainable coffee.
We are at a period of transition where the social and environmental effects are addressing important issues in the conservation of international sustainable coffee, one of which is the use of sustainable and eco-friendly practices in modern coffee plantations.
The Evolution of Sustainable Coffee Farming
Traditional Farming Practices
In the pre-20th century, Coffee’s origins were steeped in sustainability. Indigenous communities in regions like Ethiopia have cultivated coffee for centuries, using traditional, low-impact farming practices. Growing coffee under the canopy of different native trees was one of these approaches that conserved biodiversity and soil health.
The Proliferation of Monoculture Plantations
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, coffee growing began to trend toward monoculture farms. These large-scale farms aimed to maximize output at the expense of the environment. Deforestation, soil degradation, and chemical pesticide use became commonplace, leading to ecological and social challenges.
Early Sustainable Initiatives
Early sustainable coffee initiatives, such as organic coffee growing and fair trade certification, emerged in the 1970s and 1980s. Synthetic chemicals were discarded in favor of natural, ecologically friendly alternatives in organic farming.
Certification and Consumer Awareness
The 1990s witnessed the expansion of certification programs like Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance, providing customers with an opportunity to support ethical and sustainable coffee. Initiatives like the 4C Association, UTZ, and the Sustainable Coffee Challenge further promoted sustainable practices and collaboration among stakeholders.
Sustainable Coffee in the 21st Century
During the 2000s and 2010s, organic coffee farming gained popularity as consumers became more conscious of chemical residues in their coffee and their environmental impact, while major coffee companies, including Starbucks and Nespresso, launched their own sustainability programs and partnerships with farmers which called Certified Sustainable Coffee Programs.
Due to its impact on coffee yields and quality, climate change has become a major coffee challenge for coffee farmers in the 2010s – 2020s. As the journey continues, coffee’s ability to adapt and thrive may well serve as an inspiring model for other crops facing the impacts of climate change.
The 2020s marked a transformative era in the coffee industry as regenerative agriculture emerged as a beacon of hope for both growers and the environment. By prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, regenerative coffee farming is paving the way for a future where coffee production not only survives but thrives in harmony with nature.
From threats to sustainable coffee farming – a long journey has passed.
Environmental Preservation on Coffee Plantations
Coffee plantations serve as the heart of millions of farmers worldwide, eco-friendly farming practices, in particular, contribute to community well-being in a variety of ways.
Agroforestry
By combining intercropping coffee plants with other trees, agroforestry has emerged as a potential approach for sustainable coffee production in the face of climate change. The presence of shade trees in coffee agroforestry systems lowers average air temperatures, promotes biodiversity, stores carbon, and enhances nutrient cycling compared to unshaded coffee systems.
Coffee plants in an agroforestry system
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
IPM concept – a method of long-term management to keep pest populations at an economically and environmentally acceptable level, without eradicating pests and diseases. This approach brings numerous benefits, including enhancing economic sustainability by minimizing the need for expensive chemical inputs that lead to increased yields and higher income for farmers. Additionally, IPM also protects environmental health through mitigating the negative impact on the environment, including soil, water, and other organisms’ habitats.
How pest destroys coffee beans and IPM as a method overcomes them
Organic Cultivation
Toxic chemicals are not only dangerous to employees and their families, but also to the ecosystem in which they live. Deforestation, soil erosion and habitat loss combined with agricultural chemical contamination, which is considered one of the sustainable coffee challenges, resulted in lifeless, polluted and barren land. On the other hand, organic coffee farms encourage sustainable coffee initiatives, multilayer farming and a diverse range of fauna. Relying on organic matter to fertilize plants, this improves soil structure and fertility over time, organic coffee farming also promotes beneficial insects and a more resilient crop.
Coffee cherries are cultivated by organic method.
Nature-based solutions offer a potential pathway forward. Environmental preservation reduces eco-pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as protects natural resources and biodiversity that are essential for human life and well-being. In addition to prioritizing environmental sustainability and reduced ecological impact, it can significantly decrease the ecological footprint of coffee production by conserving water, lowering chemical usage, and using renewable energy.
Biodiversity Conservation and Shade-Grown Coffee
Sustainable coffee farming is not just about producing beans, it’s about nourishing ecosystems, supporting communities, and protecting the environment. Particularly, the pivotal role that biodiversity conservation and shade-grown coffee play in creating a more sustainable and responsible coffee industry cannot be replaced.
Coffee Sustainability and Biodiversity: A Win-Win Relationship
How Biodiversity Thrives in Shade-Grown Coffee
The relationship between biodiversity and shade-grown coffee is inextricably linked. Shade-grown coffee is important for supporting and protecting the living landscape. It serves as habitat for wildlife, especially birds, due to the various varieties of legumes and other trees that occupy shade growing places. By maintaining the ecological integrity of coffee plantations, it helps to preserve fauna and flora, the protection of critical ecosystems, and the overall health of the environment. Furthermore, it demonstrates how sustainable farming practices can coexist harmoniously with nature, benefiting both sustainable coffee beans and the conservation of biodiversity.
How Shade-Grown Coffee Nurtures Sustainability
Appears as a light in the darkness, shade-grown coffee is more than just a farming method; it is a cornerstone of sustainable coffee production. Shade-grown coffee improves soil health and conservation. Organic matter accumulation and nutrient cycling improve soil structure and fertility while decreasing soil erosion, ensuring coffee farms’ long-term viability. Moreover, by sequestering carbon dioxide and increasing resilience to extreme weather events, it plays a critical role in reducing climate change.
In terms of social and economic front, shade-grown coffee benefits local people by preserving traditional and community-based growing practices. It improves livelihoods and promotes ethical coffee production by offering job opportunities and access to premium markets.
Coffee Sustainability And Biodiversity: A Perfect Brew
The interaction between biodiversity and sustainability within the world of coffee is not one-way, but a win-win relationship. Biodiversity offers a safety net for coffee ecosystems, protecting them from the uncontrollable forces of climate change, pests, and diseases. Diverse landscapes provide natural pest control mechanisms, reducing the need for chemical interventions and promoting a healthier, more balanced environment. Biodiversity-friendly methods that often respect cultural traditions and strengthen the bonds between farming communities and the land they steward. It is a holistic approach that nurtures not only the environment but also the well-being of those who tend to the coffee plants.
Water Management and Sustainable Irrigation
Water availability is a major sustainable coffee challenge for coffee farmers, as it is becoming increasingly restricted. According to Specialty Coffee Associations, “The way coffee is produced and processed can either be part of the solution to the water crisis, or it can be part of the problem”.
Sustainable water management practices are those that help ensure the long-term availability of water resources. Through the application of efficient irrigation methods such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and subsurface drip irrigation that deliver water to crop minimization.
Coffee plants require a lot of water to grow, one cup of coffee requires about 140 liters of water. Water efficiency can help farmers keep their plants healthy, allowing their cherries to achieve their maximum potential. In addition to reducing the environmental impact of coffee production and protecting water supplies for future generations.
Sustainable water management practices help to ensure the long-term availability of water resources.
Tuan Loc Commodities: A Modern Approach to Sustainable Coffee
At Tuan Loc Commodities, according to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we understand that the social and environmental improvements cannot be accomplished by any individual, business, or stakeholder, but each of us individually, all have a stake and an impact in this worldwide effort. Our sustainability projects are designed to achieve the following three objectives: Global Gap, Human Well-being and Carbon Footprint Reduction.
Sustainable development is how we must live today if we want a better tomorrow.
Implementation of Global Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) at the small-holders’ level
Throughout Tuan Loc Commodities’ development, farmers, mostly smallholders, have been a key point in TLC’s sustainability programs. In order to ensure the sustainable coffee beans, our farmers receive training and education in Good Agricultural Practices for coffee, including organic cultivation, responsible chemical use, sustainable irrigation, and biodiversity conservation. By following these actions, we can help smallholders farmers implement GAP and produce safe, high-quality crops in a sustainable way.
Improvement of access to finance, healthcare, and insurance for the smallholder farmers
Local community development, in particular, the concept of finance, healthcare, and insurance, are our priority to keep people who work with us safe, healthy and well-being. TLC ensures that all smallholder farmers are aware of the occupational healthcare services that are accessible to them. We also want all farmers to enhance their financial comprehension, understand how to select appropriate loan services, and better establish and manage their budgets. As a result, coffee plantations benefit from increased business efficiency, higher living standards, and investment.
Reduction of carbon footprint in the entire coffee supply chain
We are conscious of the carbon footprint that results from the way coffee is grown, harvested and consumed. We try our best to reduce emissions in our operations across the coffee supply chain, through efficient irrigation methods, renewable energy usage and energy optimization management.
In the current context, sustainable coffee development is more important than ever. Because only sustainable development can protect the environment, maintain productivity, reduce cost, improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers, and ensure the long-term viability of the coffee industry.
Tuan Loc Commodities
Your Go-To Partner for Vietnam Coffee
Website: https://tlcommodities.com/
Hotline/WhatsApp: +84 329 969 469
Email: contact@tlcommodities.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tuan-loc-commodities/
Source:
https://www.civilizedcoffee.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-coffee
https://coffeebarometer.org/documents_resources/coffee_barometer_2023.pdf
