Towards reduced pesticide use in coffee farming - ECOFFEE R&D Initiative

The goal of the ECOFFEE R&D initiative is to evaluate solutions and pathways to reduce pesticide use in coffee farming. It builds on multidisciplinary scientific knowledge and approaches, takes account of the maturity of existing solutions, encourages dialogue among stakeholders in the sector, and benefits from the strong commitment of the industrial sector.
ECOFFEE initiative experimental site at Finca Aquiares Turrialba, Costa Rica © Luc Villain, Cirad
ECOFFEE initiative experimental site at Finca Aquiares Turrialba, Costa Rica © Luc Villain, Cirad

ECOFFEE initiative experimental site at Finca Aquiares Turrialba, Costa Rica © Luc Villain, Cirad

Issues

The intensive and prolonged use of pesticides in agriculture, especially herbicides, fungicides and insecticides, raises concerns for the environment, biodiversity and local communities. The impacts of these practices in the coffee sector have not yet been sufficiently studied. The initiative brings together the expertise and resources of major scientific, industrial and agricultural actors in the coffee sector, including producers, in order to co-construct pathways to gradually reduce pesticide use with a view to making the coffee value chain more sustainable. This strategy includes analysing impact pathways to identify obstacles and propose appropriate solutions.

Description

The implementation of the ECOFFEE initiative entails different phases:

  • The first phase (September 2020 - March 2022) involved surveys with producers in four countries (Brazil, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Mexico), providing an initial overview of pesticide use in coffee farming across a wide variety of cropping systems. These surveys revealed significant disparities in practices linked to pesticide use, generally correlated with the level of intensification and the coffee species cultivated, with more intensive use of all pesticides for Arabica compared to Robusta, consistent with increased pressure from pests and diseases on the former species.
  • These surveys were accompanied by analyses of some 600 pesticide residues in green coffee and soil, as well as an evaluation of insect communities present in the plots studied. The crucial information obtained from these baseline studies will be used to guide future actions, particularly regarding the selection of targets for the ECOFFEE networks (active substances and pests targeted).
  • The second phase (01/04/23 - 30/09/26) primarily involves:
    • Building an international network of on-farm experimental trials to evaluate alternative methods to pesticides. This network, initially established on four farms in two countries (two in Brazil and two in Costa Rica), is planning geographical expansion. The three strategies compared are: conventional pesticide use, rational pesticide use (reducing synthetic chemical pesticide applications through the introduction of biological and agronomic alternatives), and a zero-pesticide approach (no synthetic chemical pesticides, except for copper permitted in organic farming). The parameters monitored to analyse environmental effects include effectiveness against pests, impact on biodiversity, crop resilience, and pesticide residues in green coffee and soil. Microeconomic studies will be conducted to assess the profitability and sustainability of each strategy, quantifying the direct and indirect costs as well as the benefits. The goal is to determine the economic viability of alternative practices and their potential to improve the sustainability of coffee production.
    • Defining the evolution of the governance model and the impact pathways of the initiative.
    • Ensuring communication and advocacy to facilitate awareness raising and knowledge dissemination among the different stakeholders.
    • Defining a 10-year trajectory for reducing pesticide use in producer countries.

Expected results

In phase 2 of the ECOFFEE R&D initiative, the expected results include:

  • Demonstration of the feasibility of significantly reducing or even eliminating the use of synthetic chemical pesticides to control the main pests of coffee.
  • Identification of the agroecological and socio-economic factors that foster or limit this reduction, in order to propose appropriate pathways for change and to identify key stakeholders for an effective and lasting reduction in pesticide use.
  • Identification and promotion of the most effective alternatives suited to the different coffee-producing regions. The network of on-farm experimental trials will validate these alternatives under real conditions and by mobilising different stakeholders in these trials, through dialogue platforms.

At the same time, ECOFFEE will give serious thought to its theory of change and to the plausible impact pathways to maximise the adoption of these alternatives by millions of coffee farmers, while exploring appropriate governance models to support this transition. Finally, this phase will provide strong arguments regarding the feasibility of reducing pesticide use in order to advocate for this reduction with policymakers. We will highlight not only the feasibility and effectiveness of alternative strategies, but also the economic benefits, all based on robust scientific evidence.

Contract partners: Universidade de Viçosa (Brazil), Western Highlands Agriculture & Forestry Science Institute (WASI, Vietnam), Fondation NicaFrance (Nicaragua),  Mercon coffee group, Olam Food Ingredients (OFI), Neumann