SUSTAINABLE COFFEE IS PRODUCED ON A FARM WITH HIGH BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND LOW CHEMICAL INPUTS. IT CONSERVES RESOURCES, PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT, PRODUCES EFFICIENTLY, AS A WHOLE.” – SMITHSONIAN MIGRATORY BIRD CENTER, FIRST SUSTAINABLE COFFEE CONGRESS
ICON KEY
MAINTAIN FOREST
SUPPORT BIODIVERSITY
INCREASE POLLINATION
CONTROL PEST
MAINTAIN WATER QUALITY
MAINTAIN SOIL QUALITY
CARBON SEQUESTRATION
IMPROVE COFFEE QUALITY
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TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER • 0
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01 02 03
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? PAGE • 08 / 11 WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? PAGE • 12 / 29 WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW? PAGE • 30 / 43
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WHAT IS THE SOULTION?
01
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SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN FARMS SAVE THE FORESTS
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NEXT BEST THING TO NATURAL FOREST By reviewing more than 50 studies on shade-grown coffee farms in regions ranging from Central and South America to Indonesia over the past 15 years, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) can now make the case that shade-grown coffee production is the next best thing to a natural forest. In study after study, habitat on shade-grown coffee farms outshone sun-grown coffee farms with increased numbers and species of birds as well as and improved bird habitat, soil protection/erosion control, carbon sequestration, natural pest control and improved pollination. While sun-grown systems can have higher yields, the shaded farms easily outperform them in sustainability measurements with the trees providing an array of ecological services that offer both direct and indirect “income/payback” to farmers and the environment. The “hidden yield” in the shade vs. sun comparison is that of the non-coffee products and opportunities coming from the shaded system. In addition to ecotourism on several shade coffee farms, firewood, fruits, building materials and medicinal plants are all resources harvested to varying degrees by shade coffee farmers and used and/or sold by farmers.
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WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?
02
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FORESTS MAINTAIN THE ENVIRONMENT
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BIODIVERSE HABITAT SUPPORT As a general rule, managing more trees as shade cover in coffee provides better habitat and supports a more diverse wildlife community than managing fewer trees. Shade-grown coffee systems in Latin America, Africa and Asia have all been found to harbor high diversity of shade trees; • Taller and more structurally diverse shade tends to have more bird diversity than shorter, more architecturally uniform shade. • As management practices become more intensive (moving away from traditional shade-grown coffee management to monocropping), the diversity of tree, birds and ants all decline. • Shade-grown coffee areas in a number of countries tend to have a greater variety of tree species than local forest remnants. • A shaded coffee farm has trees that yield fruits, some of which might be of value to the farmer and animals-and some only useful to animals. Fruit Energy Availability (a measure that combines fruit abundance, fruit size, and fruit caloric value) associated with the shade trees provides a valuable resource for birds and, as one of several variables examined in Costa Rican coffee farms, accounts for more than half (52%) of bird richness (number of bird species) on such. • Birds wintering on sustainable shade grown farms in Venezuela showed improved body condition (compared to those in forests in the area) during their time there, a critical issue for making the journey north in the spring. This finding is likely a result of
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the availability of more small-fruited plants useful to birds and plant flowers that attract insects, offering a buffet of resources. • Trees in shaded coffee systems often harbor epiphytes such as bromeliads and orchids, the presence of which enhances bird diversity—birds like the bush-tanager are five times more likely to emigrate from a shade-grown coffee farm without epiphytes compared to a farm with epiphytes (based on a study in Mexico supported by BF funds). Epiphytes can harbor lots of insects as a food source for birds, as well as provide nesting material for resident birds.
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BIODIVERSE HABITAT SUPPORT CASE STUDY IN MEXICO, VENEZUELA, GUATEMALA
MEXICO FOREST BIRDS IN COFFEE FARMS
40% 60%
MONOCULTURE SUN GROWN COFFEE FARMS SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE FARMS
1 FOREST ANTS HABITAT
56% 30%
MONOCULTURE SUN GROWN COFFEE FARMS SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE FARMS
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MONOCULTURE SUN GROWN COFFEE FARMS SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE FARMS
GUATEMALA 2 BIRD SPECIES IN COFFEE FARMS
30%
MORE
VENEZUELA
14
SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE FARMS SUPPORT MORE MIGRATORY BIRDS THAN LOCAL PRIMARY FOREST
TIMES DENSITY
1
2
NOT ONLY IS ANT DIVERSITY AN INDICATOR OF HABITAT HEALTH, BUT ANTS OFTEN AID IN NATURAL PEST CONTROL.
DUE TO A GREATER ABUNDANCE OF BIRD- DISPERSED, SMALLFRUIT TREE AND SHRUB SPECIES, AS WELL AS MORE FLOWERING PLANTS THAT ATTRACT INSECTS.
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PEST CONTROL AND POLLINATION A widely accepted ecological concept maintains that diversity creates ecological stability. In lay terms, that means a more bio-diverse system such as a shade-grown coffee farm with many species of plants supports more highly diverse fauna. The various animals — including insects and other arthropods, birds, lizards, and more — form complex and dynamic food webs, an important aspect of the overall ecological workings of a healthy environment. Birds display greater predation on insect larvae in more shaded coffee systems. Insects such as bees help to pollinate trees, flowering plants and coffee, and predators keep insect pests that might other wise harm production in check. Even though the shade-grown coffee system is a farmer’s managed land, the diversity and complexity of the vegetation creates a setting that mimics many of the physical and ecological characteristics of a natural habitat. Of course, it’s not nearly so complex or rich as untouched forests, but for an agricultural land use, it can be impressive when we see what such diversity yields.
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PEST CONTROL AND POLLINATION CASE STUDY IN INDONESIA, GUATEMALA, JAMAICA AND MEXICO
BEE SPECIES DIVERSITY INCREASES FRUIT SET IN COFFEE
INDONESIA COFFEE PLANT VISITED BY BIRD SPECIES
3 20
BEE SPECIES VISIT
60%
BEE SPECIES VISIT
90%
FRUIT SET
FRUIT SET
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BIRDS ACT AS PREDATOR ON COFFEE PEST
GUATEMALA
84%
COFFEE PESTS REDUCED BY BIRDS
JAMAICA
70% 30%
COFFEE PESTS INCREASE WITHOUT BIRDS PREDATOR
NATIONAL INCOME EQUAL TO THE VALUE OF BIRD PREDATION
BIRDS ACTING AS PREDATORS ON THE COFFEE BERRY BORER WAS CALCULATED TO BE WORTH $75/HECTARE, AVERAGING $1004 PER FARM STUDIED.
MEXICO
64%
COFFEE PESTS INCREASE WITHOUT BIRD PREDATION
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WATER, CARBON STORAGE, AND SOIL QUALITY It is important to take action to mitigate humanbased activities resulting in climate change. GLOBAL WARMING AFFECT ON COFFEE GROWING AREAS
30%
OF COFFEE AREAS REMAIN AVAILABLE BY 2050
The mere biomass associated with the shade tree component of coffee agroforestry systems can easily be seen as a carbon sink, where carbon is bound up in the trunks, limbs, and leaves (above ground biomass) as well as the roots (below ground biomass). As with natural forests, the carbon sequestered within a shade-grown coffee farm’s shade trees will be locked up in the wood (as opposed to being in the atmosphere and adding to global warming) until the trees are removed. Moreover, the soil itself incorporates carbon from the organic matter that accumulates and gets broken down over time. The presence of trees in shade-grown coffee farms, then, can help keep carbon out of the atmosphere, as well as act as a possible buffer to future temperature increases brought on by climatic change. In addition, as with natural forests, the presence of trees can help protect water supplies in quantity and quality.
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WATER QUALITY AND SOIL QUALITY IN COFFEE FARMS
MONOCULTURE SUN GROWN COFFEE FARMS FERTILIZERS CONTAMINATE WATER
HIGH INPUT OF FERTILIZER BECAUSE OF NON SHADE TREES
+N
CONTAMINATES GROUND WATER SUPPLY
LEACHES MORE NITRATE IN GROUND WATER SUPPLY (COMPARE TO SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE FARMS.)
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SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE FARMS SHADE TREES REDUCE USE OF FERTILIZER
SHADE TREES CAN PUT UP TO
100 KILOGRAMS
OF NITROGEN PER HECTARE PER YEAR INTO THE SOIL
30%
SHADE TREES MAINTAIN SOIL QUALITY
INFLUENCE WATER CYCLING BY INCREASING RAINFALL INTERCEPTION
REDUCE SOIL EROSION
MAINTAIN WATER IN SOIL
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CARBON STORAGE THE COMPARISON BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE FARMS AND MONOCULTURE SUN GROWN COFFEE FARMS
CARBON CAPTURED PER HECTARE
90 12 METRIC TONS PER HECTARE
7.5 : 1
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MONOCULTURE SUN GROWN COFFEE FARMS SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE FARMS
CARBON CAPTURED PER HECTARE WHEN PRODUCING A CONTAINER OF COFFEE
3375
180 METRIC TONS PER HECTARE
1
19 : 1
1 FOR A SUN SYSTEM, WHERE 10 0 0 KILOGRAMS/HECTARE IS THE YIELD, THAT MEANS THAT 15 HECTARES ARE NEEDED TO FILL THAT CONTAINER. (12 x 15 = 180) FOR THE SHADE SYSTEM, WHERE YIELDS ARE LOWER, IT TAKES 37.5 HECTARES TO FILL THE CONTAINER, REPRESENTING 3375 METRIC TONS.DUE TO A GREATER ABUNDANCE OF BIRD-DISPERSED, SMALL-FRUIT TREE AND SHRUB SPECIES, AS WELL AS MORE FLOWERING PLANTS THAT ATTRACT INSECTS.
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IMPROVING THE BEVERAGE QUALITY OF COFFEE Shade decreases coffee tree productivity by 18% but reduces alternate bearing. Shade positively affects bean size and composition as well as beverage quality by delaying berry flesh ripening by up to 1 month. Higher sucrose, chlorogenic acid and trigonelline contents in sun-grown beans point towards incomplete bean maturation and explain the higher bitterness and astringency of the coffee beverage. Higher fruit loads reduce bean size owing to carbohydrate competition among berries during bean filling. These results have important implications in terms of agricultural management (shade, fruit thinning, tree pruning) to help farmers increase coffee plantation sustainability, produce coffee beans of larger size and and higher quality.
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WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW?
03
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SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE AND THE NEED TO BE CERTIFIED
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NEED TO BE CERTIFIED Over the years, some companies have made claims their coffee is shade-grown sustainable but have failed to get it certified to any particular criteria, creating what could be dubious or outright false marketing claims. The only way for consumers to know for sure about the shade claims is to look for the seal from a third party independent body that shows the production meets strict standards.
MAIN SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES BIRD-FRIENDLY (SMITHSONIAN MIGRATORY BIRD CENTER)
Shade-grown bird friendly certification, developed by ecologists at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Criteria include a canopy at least 12 meters high, a minimum of 40% shade cover, and 11 species of shade trees. Additionally, must also be certified organic. Bird-Friendly certification has the most robust shade/ habitat standards of any coffee certification. RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
The Rainforest Alliance is an NGO with programs in several areas that promote standards for sustainability. Their sustainable agriculture program certifies many crops, including coffee. Not exclusively a trademarking organization, it covers a number of ecological issues as well as community relations and fair treatment of workers. ORGANIC
Coffee sold as certified in the U.S. must be produced under U.S. standards established by the USDA’s National Organic Program. Verification is carried out by accredited certifying agencies. Requirements for this seal include no use of prohibited substances on the land for at least three years.
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FAIR TRADE Fair Trade is primarily concerned with alleviating poverty through greater equity in international trade and is governed by the Fair Trade Labelling Organizations International. Many products besides coffee can a member organization, uses this black and white “Fair Trade Certified”seal. UTZ CERTIFIED UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside (formerly Utz Kapeh) certifies several agricultural products including coffee. Their emphasis is on transparency and traceability in the supply chain and efficient farm management. The latter includes good agricultural practices such as soil erosion prevention, minimizing water use and pollution, responsible use of agrochemicals, and habitat protection. 4C (THE COMMON CODE FOR THE COFFEE COMMUNITY) This certification program was originated as a response to confusion in the various certification criteria, and it was hoped it would unify them. One of the main aspects of the 4C code is its vision of the coffee business as a whole. It covers many social, environmental, and economic principles for everyone in the coffee supply chain, from farmers, producer organizations, and mills, to exporters and traders.
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NEED TO BE CERTIFIED MAIN CORPORATE PROGRAMME STARBUCKS C.A.F.E
C.A.F.E. (which stands for Coffee and Farmer Equity) evaluates the economic, social, and environmental aspects of coffee production in order to ensure that Starbucks’ sources of coffee are sustainably grown. Starbucks collaborated with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a third-party evaluation and certification firm, to develop the guidelines for the program.
ENVIRONMENT
LIFE QUALITY
ECONOMY
COFFEE QUALITY
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QUICK GUIDE TO COFFEE CERTIFICATIONS ORGANIC
FAIR TRADE
RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
BIRD FRIENDLY
4C
UTZ
CERTIFICATIONS CROSSOVER 95% ORGANIC COFFEE ALSO CERTIFIED BIRD-FRIENDLY BIRD-FRIENDLY COFFEE NEED TO BE CERTIFIED 100% ORGANIC 87% FAIR TRADE COFFEE ALSO CERTIFIED ORGANIC
STARBUCKS C.A.F.E
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ENVIRONMENT
ECONOMY
LIFE QUALITY
COFFEE QUALITY
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IT SHOULD BE ARABICA There are two species of coffee used commercially: Coffea arabica or arabica coffee, and Coffea canephora, or robusta coffee. Arabica is high quality. Robusta coffee is nearly always low quality, mass produced in deforested sun coffee monocultures with lots of chemicals, and is used in most supermarket coffees. You won’t see “robusta”on the label, so look for “100% arabica.” There are also many different cultivars of arabica coffee. “Bourbon” and “typica” are older types that need at least some shade, so seek those out. “Catuai”‘ and “Caturra”are varieties that are often grown as sun coffee.
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PREMIUM PRICE This is nearly a given: cheap coffee is not sustainable. Not for the farmer, not for the environment. People who are used to paying less than $5 a pound for grocery store coffee shudder at the idea of paying $10 or more for a pound of coffee from a specialty roaster. Ounce for ounce, it’s still cheaper than a good bottle of wine or scotch or many other beverages. The farmers that grow grocery store coffee get less than $0.25 a pound for it; obviously this is not a living wage. Impoverished farmers are more likely to exploit the environment, convert their coffee to other less ecologically-friendly crops, or abandon their land altogether (contributing to illegal immigration into the U.S. from south of the border). Coffee is often the most important source of income for nations that produce it; if it is no longer profitable, it creates social and economic crises, and impacts governments and democracy.
PREMIUM PRICE OF SUSTAINABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE
BIRD-FRIENDLY RAINFOREST ALLIANCE ORGANIC FAIRTRADE UTZ
10 CENT 10 CENT 15 CENT 10 CENT 6 CENT
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Some countries still grow much of their coffee under shade, preserving native forest and biodiversity and using few if any chemicals. Other countries have removed shade trees or cut down areas of native forest and planted sun-tolerant coffee varieties. Here is the map for showing the countries that grow monoculture sun grown coffee or sustainable shade grown coffee.
MEXICO
1
HONDURAS
GUATEMALA
NICARAGUA
COSTA RICA 2
COLOMBIA
BRAZIL PERU
BOLIVIA
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COUNTIRES GROW MONOCULTURE SUN GROWN COFFEE COUNTRIES GROW SUSTAI NABLE SHADE GROWN COFFEE
INDIA
VIETNAM ETHIOPIA
KENYA
1 HUEHUETENANGO HAS THE MOST DIVERSE SHADE COVER;
OTHER REGIONS, ESPECIALLY ANTIGUA, DO NOT USE AS MUCH HIGH-QUALITY SHADE
2 SANTANDER REGION HAS GOOD SHADE
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ABOUT Eco Brew Project is aim to raise coffee consumers’ awareness about the issue of deforestation in coffee farms. We encourage coffee consumers, retailers to purchase sustainable shade grown coffee replace to non-sustainable coffee, in order to maintain the world’s environment, at the same time, also able to enjoy to a good cup of coffee. All the information I provide is base on creditable resources. The program brings several important benefits. People can be taught about the problems that they may encounter in the future. First of all, they will have a clear understanding about the issue — deforestation in coffee farm. Knowing the problems behind deforestation and how them affect all of us, arouse coffee consumers to change. Moreover, we also provide another coffee choice — sustainable shade grown coffee for replacement. Coffee consumer purchases sustainable shade grown coffee not only can maintain the world’s environment, but also can enjoy high quality coffee. Because sustainable shade grown coffee bean needs more time to be mature, so the flavor of them will be more robust. Eco Brew Project concerns issue from world’s environment to creating a better coffee habit; we offer sustainable shad grown coffee alternative choice to create a better world. Thanks for reading our books, for more information about Eco Brew project, please search www. ecobrewcoffee.com. If you want to taste sustainable shade grown coffee, check out the schedule online and visit our coffee truck.