Contact

Benoît Bertrand
Coffee Supply Chain Correspondent
Montpellier, France
E-mail

Coffee

Coffee is the world's leading agricultural resource in value terms. It is a major source of revenue for more than 40 tropical countries, and generates more than 120 million jobs. Coffee is grown on more than 10 million hectares worldwide, primarily on small family farms (70% of the crop comes from farms of under 5 hectares). Two species, Coffea arabica (65%) and Coffea canephora (35%), are cultivated.

The issues

Broadly speaking, coffee is grown in two ways: in the open, using large quantities of fertilizer ("Green Revolution" system), and in more or less intensive agroforestry systems. The issue for "Green Revolution" type systems is how to return to more ecologically sustainable methods and reduce their environmental impact. Conversely, for agroforestry systems run by smallholders, the aim is to boost economic viability.

CIRAD's role

CIRAD's research is aimed at developing and promoting coffee production standards in line with the principles of sustainable development, that are also economically viable.

  • Promoting the ecological functions of coffee-based agroforestry systems: land management, landscape development, carbon balance, catchment area protection, biodiversity.
  • Fostering ecological intensification through integrated pest management, developing resistant varieties with a broader range of sensorial qualities, and better management of the resources in and ecological services rendered by agroforestry systems.
  • Assessing the impact of labels (organic, fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance) on how export supply chains are organized in producing countries.
  • Assessing the impact of product diversification on how agroforestry systems function, and on coffee producers' incomes.
Update date: 25/11/2010