Conservation Coffee
Case Study C0119
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| Date | 2003 |
| Agency | Conservation International |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Protected area |
| Geographic coverage | Mexico |
| Locality | Southwest Chiapas |
| Biodiversity focus | Ecosystem/landscape |
| Development focus | Local farmers |
| Conservation goals | Conserve biodiversity in the buffer zone of the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve |
| Poverty reduction goals | Provide farmers with the capacity of adopting best practices in the production of coffee |
Summary
Conservation International has been implementing a Conservation Coffee project in the buffer zone of the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve in southwest Chiapas, Mexico since 1998. The project objective is to conserve biodiversity by providing farmers with the processes and tools needed to adopt a set of Conservation Coffee best practices. The project achieves its objective by: supporting farmers to produce quality coffee and manage the local landscape; facilitating their access to an international market with Starbucks Coffee Company, which pays them premium prices; facilitating their access to a credit fund, Verde Ventures, at competitive rates of interest, enabling them to manage their cash flow during the harvest; creating linkages with local service providers and ensuring that transactions are fair and transparent; stimulating demand by informing consumers about the links between coffee, conservation, farmer well being, and high-quality coffee.
Over the life of the project, Chiapas farmers have sold more than 200 containers of their coffee to the international market. Over 1000 farmers, the large majority being members of producer organizations, have benefited from the project. A further study, carried out by CI during 2001-2003, found that:
- over the three years, weekly household income had increased;
- families are increasing their meat consumption;
- housing conditions of project beneficiaries improved;
- farmers’ environmental awareness had grown, as had awareness of the value of conserving biodiversity in the world and around the reserve;
- in 2002 a household growing coffee according to the recommended practices could satisfy 35% of their basic needs, while in 2003 this figure increased to 61%.
Conservation impact
Since the start of the project farmers' environmental awareness has grown significantly.
Poverty reduction impact
Over 1000 farmers, the large majority being members of producer organizations, have benefited from the project. In particular: weekly household income has increased; families are increasing their meat consumption; housing conditions have improved; in 2002 a household growing coffee could satisfy 35% of their basic needs, while in 2003 this figure had increased to 61%.
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Sustainable Use
Partnership with private sector
Reference 1
http://www.conservation.org/ImageCache/CIWEB/content/publications/coffee_2epdf/v1/coffee.pdf
More information
Matthew Quinlan, Conservation Coffee Program Director
Phone: +1 (202) 429-5660
E-mail: m.quinlan@conservation.org
Related records above this one:
- Conservation International (CI) (Organisation O0112)