The challenges are growing for coffee farmers
Drought, temperature increases, but also cold and unpredictable weather phenomena create major challenges for hard-working coffee farmers.
Without a focused effort, coffee will only become more difficult to grow and buy.
Fortunately, an option is emerging that can help protect coffee plants and improve the taste in your cup: Agroforestry.
It starts with the weather
Unpredictable climate
In large producing countries like Brazil, prolonged droughts in recent years have caused coffee prices to rise to levels not seen in many years – and that's just one example.
Coffee grows best under very specific conditions: It's mainly about heat, humidity and stable temperatures.
When coffee plants growing conditions become unstable, soil quality deteriorates, coffee harvests become uncertain, and quality can fluctuate. At the same time, global coffee consumption has increased significantly over the past 50 years, putting additional pressure on coffee-producing countries.
To meet demand, high-yielding coffee plants began to be planted in large fields in long rows in the 1970s – i.e. monoculture agriculture.
The fields quickly generated profits but had less regard for climate and quality — a better alternative is found in agroforestry .
back to the roots
How does agroforestry help?
In short, agroforestry means that the coffee plants are planted out in the forest among all sorts of other trees and plants – including shade trees, fruit trees and shrubs.
The combination of coffee plants in interaction with the already existing vegetation can be called microclimates . They contribute to, among other things:
- To bind more moisture in the soil and reduce the risk of drying out
- To even out temperature fluctuations
- To protect against strong sun and storm damage
- Promoting biodiversity
For coffee farmers, this means less risk of damage to the coffee plants in bad years and a better chance of a good harvest. For us, the coffee drinkers, it means a slower but also more complex ripening of the coffee berry — giving the coffee a more nuanced flavor profile.
A concrete example
Our tree project in Honduras
1 kg of coffee, 1 tree in Honduras.
This year we have funded the planting of 6,500 trees in Honduras—of which approximately 650 are fruit trees.
Impact No. 02 is produced by the Cafesmo cooperative, and in collaboration with them we have started the project.
This means that when we sell 1 kg. Impact No. 02, we plant a tree in Honduras. It is not just symbolic — it is a concrete effort that makes a difference for the coffee farmers in the Cafesmo cooperative, because it will contribute to more stability in their coffee production.
A step in the right direction
Summary - why is it important?
Agroforestry is not a miracle cure, but it is a concrete, documentable practice that:
- Reduces vulnerability to climate change
- Can improve the taste of coffee through slow ripening
- Increases biodiversity and soil health
- Can supplement farmers' income
Agroforestry isn't cheap either – it takes both time and investment to grow coffee this way. But it's worth it to ensure better growing conditions for the coffee plants.
