What is sustainable coffee? At the Casú Coffee House, a
sustainable cup of joe has the following characteristics:
- Environmental stewardship (grow the coffee in shaded conditions to promote biodiversity; avoid the use of agrochemicals; and minimize production of waste)
- High quality (ensure that the product has a sophisticated taste and is healthy for the consumer)
- Social well being (promote the coffee culture and build community cohesion)
- Fair prices (give producers financial security to ride price volatility)
From the coffee farmers’ perspective, price stability is the
most immediate concern. At the
meeting of coffee growers in Veracruz, I listened to regional leaders’ call for
more structural organization and unification. They feel marginalized by
dominating coffee industries and want to the system to better favor the small
producer. During today’s brainstorming session they discussed strategies for
the upcoming national coffee forum. They will represent the voice of the hundreds of coffee producers in Veracruz.
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