PROBLEM STATEMENT
Small coffee producers in Peru are being strongly impacted by the effects of climate change. Heavier rains and longer droughts are accelerating soil deterioration and the prevalence of pests and diseases. Harvests are suffering as a result. In a country where coffee is the main agricultural export, more than 225,000 smallholder farming families depend on it for their livelihoods. Desperate measures by farmers, such as extending the agricultural frontier to higher altitudes and switching to illicit coca cultivation, are resulting in further deforestation, soil deterioration, depletion of water sources, biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions.
SOLUTIONS
The world’s demand for coffee continues to rise. Yet, in contrast to current problematic farming practices in Peru, the market actually wants products with a smaller environmental footprint. This can happen if coffee farmers adopt sustainable agroforestry systems (SAF), in which a combination of environmentally-beneficial practices would result in carbon neutral coffee. Efforts will be made to get the authorities to encourage adoption of SAF, together with compliance with sustainability standards and obtainment of certifications for practices such as organic production, waste management, water management, soil management, biodiversity and others.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Creation and implementation of policies and practices for carbon sequestration and environmental footprint reduction. Co-creation of multi-stakeholder proposals to make public GHG-reduction measures more efficient, while positioning Coffee Carbon Neutral in the sustainable products market.