Coffee production is one of the most important agricultural activities for Colombian economy. It influences the demand, development and social stability in the rural areas of the country. Coffee is grown in the steep mountainous areas and is characterized by labour-intensive hand-picking. All coffee producers in Colombia are organized to jointly contribute to the sustainability and competitiveness of the sector and the rural communities. Colombian coffee farmers are the most important water users in the mountainous areas. This dependency is affected by a changing climate. Water supply shortages lead to drought damage, while excessive rainfall results in flooding and landslides.
Based on the biophysical factors (temperature, rainfall, elevation, etc.) of a subset of farms, optimal conditions for growing coffee have been identified. Using climate projections, the shift of optimal locations for coffee growing were mapped and assessed for land ownership and accessibility, to guarantee for future coffee production. Several measures reduce the amounts of solid and liquid waste from processed coffee cherries, including pulp pits and small water purification installations. Together with farmers and local experts, ideal locations for these measures have been selected, based on cost-effectiveness.
We carried out these activities in cooperation with Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), Cenicafé, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation, Nestlé and Nespresso.
The activities reached more than 11.000 coffee-growers, 1,060 experts and technicians, over 50 institutions; by building capacity and improving farming practices
