COFFEE THAT HELPS FARMERS, THEIR COMMUNITIES & THE ENVIRONMENT.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Latest news
Ethiopia -
Jet washing station water use cut by 90%
To remove the coffee beans from the berry, soaking (or washing) the berries is often used. This practice can use vast amounts of water, and the waste can have a huge impact on the environment. Two new machines have been imported from South America that are much more eco-friendly, and require 90% less water usage than the old machines.
By cutting water waste, and composting the remaining coffee pulp for re-use on neighbouring farms, the local area and waterways are in significantly better shape.
El Salvador -
Branching out for bio-diversity
Growing trees on the coffee farms offers up all sorts of advantages, from the ground up. They help stabilise the soil, so that it isn't washed away in flash floods. They attract birds and wildlife to the area, and offer welcome shade to the plants - and some of the workers! After ten years or so, they can be cut down for timber - and replaced with new saplings.
MORE INFORMATION
All commodities, including coffee, are taken from the natural environment. The impact that this farming has on both the local area and the planet as a whole is directly related to the methods employed by farmers, whose income in turn is directly related to profit they can make from the crops they sell.
Sustainable farming methods are not always the easiest or best known, but without them, damage to natural resources and the environment will ultimately affect agricultural productivity and the farmers' livelihoods. To gain a larger yield, some farmers might rely heavily on pesticides and fertilizers, the misuse of which pollutes not only the soil, but also water sources for the local area. If under severe financial pressure, growers might also be forced to overwork their farms, leading to biological degradation of otherwise arable land.
In order to safeguard the land, and the source of future produce in the long term, all parties involved need to work together to develop and implement sustainable practices. The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI-Platform), which was co-founded by Nestlé, aims to do just this. Our objectives are to ensure the land is cared for, thereby preserving soil health so that crops and livestock can be grown and raised there respectively.
We are actively involved in, and are strongly supporting, the 4C "Common Code for the Coffee Community". The 4C is an all stakeholders (Coffee Growers, Industry, Civil Society) initiative aimed at defining the minimum conditions for sustainable coffee production.
One of Nestlé's main objectives in the coffee area is to contribute towards more sustainable coffee production, particularly based on farm activity diversification. We view 4C as a very valuable activity for engaging in discussions with other organisations involved in improving coffee growing. Nestlé believes that 4C has the best potential for making practical progress in improving conditions of coffee farming.
In order to safeguard the land, and the source of future produce in the long term, all parties involved need to work together to develop and implement sustainable practices. The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI-Platform), which was co-founded by Nestlé, aims to do just this. Our objectives are to ensure the land is cared for, thereby preserving soil health so that crops and livestock can be grown and raised there respectively.
We are actively involved in, and are strongly supporting, the 4C "Common Code for the Coffee Community". The 4C is an all stakeholders (Coffee Growers, Industry, Civil Society) initiative aimed at defining the minimum conditions for sustainable coffee production.
One of Nestlé's main objectives in the coffee area is to contribute towards more sustainable coffee production, particularly based on farm activity diversification. We view 4C as a very valuable activity for engaging in discussions with other organisations involved in improving coffee growing. Nestlé believes that 4C has the best potential for making practical progress in improving conditions of coffee farming.
We are also contributing to the "Sustainable Coffee Partnership", a forum that seeks to bring together all parties involved to develop solutions for sustainable farming all the way from plant to process. This important platform was initiated by the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).
Environmentally-friendly pulping and washing equipment has been introduced to the Jet washing station in Ethiopia, which uses far less water and minimises pollution. The leftover pulp, which is entirely organic, can then be used as fertiliser after composting.
In El Salvador we are offering technical assistance to farmers promoting farming methods that take care of the environment and preserve their valuable natural resources. We have successfully implemented a variety of schemes to work with farmers in China, Indonesia and the Philippines to look after their environment. These include the reduction of the use of harmful chemicals in the farming process, for example by encouraging the use of manure as a natural fertiliser as well as re-introducing manual weeding and pest control practices. And, in farms on steep slopes, the planting of coffee trees on terraces or 'steps' goes a long way towards preventing the problem of soil erosion.
Environmentally-friendly pulping and washing equipment has been introduced to the Jet washing station in Ethiopia, which uses far less water and minimises pollution. The leftover pulp, which is entirely organic, can then be used as fertiliser after composting.
In El Salvador we are offering technical assistance to farmers promoting farming methods that take care of the environment and preserve their valuable natural resources. We have successfully implemented a variety of schemes to work with farmers in China, Indonesia and the Philippines to look after their environment. These include the reduction of the use of harmful chemicals in the farming process, for example by encouraging the use of manure as a natural fertiliser as well as re-introducing manual weeding and pest control practices. And, in farms on steep slopes, the planting of coffee trees on terraces or 'steps' goes a long way towards preventing the problem of soil erosion.
"In Guatemala we have also installed fuel-efficient stoves with chimneys that reduce the use of wood by 75%"
Through the continuing co-operation of individuals and organisations at every level of the coffee community, environmentally-sustainable farming practices are now being established that we hope will prove universally beneficial, both now and in the long term.
"Preserving soil health so that crops and livestock can be grown and raised there"
