A roundtable organized at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, United States, discussed the future of coffee in a scenario of unprecedented climate change, with effects ranging from drought in Brazil to extreme events in Vietnam, putting at risk the livelihood of more than 12,5 million coffee farmers worldwide, most of whom are small landowners.
The event was promoted by the Italian company illycaffè, on the sidelines of the Ernesto Illy International Awards, and moderated by Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation.
The roundtable brought together important leaders from the coffee and sustainability sectors, including Andrea Illy, Chairman of illycaffè and Co-Chair of the Regenerative Society Foundation; Massimo Bottura, world-renowned chef and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador; Jamil Ahmad, Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in New York; Andrea De Marco, Project Manager at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); Raina Lang, Senior Director of Sustainable Coffee at Conservation International; and Vanusia Nogueira, Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
The panel discussed the urgency of converting global coffee cultivation to a regenerative model to increase its resilience, improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers and reduce the environmental impact of plantations, including through a public-private fund of US$10 billion (R$57 billion) over the next 10 years, mainly targeting small producers.
“Since Expo Milano 2015, we have worked tirelessly to build a framework that protects coffee for future generations,” Illy said during the debate. “Regenerative agriculture has shown that it can produce high yields and quality while restoring natural resources. We need to act quickly to implement these solutions at a global level through an international fund,” he added.
Bottura, in turn, highlighted that it is necessary to transform the act of drinking a cup of coffee into a “conscious action”. “This change has a direct and positive impact on those who produce and grow coffee, favoring a sustainable future for coffee farming communities”, he emphasized.
Nogueira said that coffee producers, especially smallholder farmers in developing regions, face “unprecedented challenges that threaten their livelihoods and cultural heritage.” “This fund is a critical step toward building resilience and preserving the future of coffee. Together, we can enable these communities to adapt, thrive and continue sharing coffee with the world,” he said.HANDLE)
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