Sustainable Harvest® has convened the Let’s Talk Recovery initiative to help coffee growers combat origin-based environmental emergencies such as Coffee Rust Disease, also known as Roya. Below is a list of investments that roasters and other coffee professionals can make to directly help producers in this fight. To get involved, email Cora Coronel at cora@sustainableharvest.com.
Option
Cost
Description
1. Materials
$1,000
All organizations need computers, moisture meters, kettles, cups, spoons, printers, software, and other equipment to effectively evaluate their coffee. This investment helps growers assess what recovery methods work best from a quality perspective.
2. On-site trainings
$3,000
Farmers need to be plugged into the world of coffee, but they often have little access to knowledge. Trainings are the best way to ensure that farmers are constantly learning about best agricultural practices, fertilization methods, and more.
3. Drying patio
$5,000
While some cooperatives use mechanical drying techniques, most of the organizations we work with use traditional drying patios to dry coffee parchment. A $5,000 investment funds the construction of a 150-square-meter drying patio, essential for specialty-grade drying.
4. Small animal husbandry program
$5,000
Small animals help families maintain a diversified, healthy diet and serve as an additional source of income. We host basic trainings and provide materials in order to help families start a husbandry program.
5. Nursery for coffee plants
$6,000
One strategy for combating Roya is frequent renovation of coffee plants, as older coffee plants are often more susceptible to Roya. With a nursery, producer organizations can begin to cultivate new plants. The cost is approximately $0.20 per plant ($0.20 x 30,000= $6,000).
6. Basic Cupping lab
$10,000
Some organization rely on outside organizations (usually local coffee associations) to cup their lots. This proves expensive because these associations are usually located far away, resulting in significant costs related to transportation and lodging. With an on-site cupping lab, cooperatives are able to cup easily and frequently, which helps producers better understand their coffee's quality. This sponsorship funds the following items for a cupping lab: sampling roaster, grinder, moisture meter, kettles.
7, On-site technical support for a year and a half*
$10,000
The main challenge that cooperative members often face above all else is a lack of technical support. This investment allows coffee-producing associations to hire an on-site technician who would help train at least 100 producers**, providing them with technical follow-ups, workshops and additional support.
* This timeframe will vary between countries.
** The average number of producers in the organizations we work with is 100.
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