Coffee is in crisis.
Across the globe, humanity consumes 2.2 billion cups of coffee daily, each of which generates 15 times its weight in CO2e and consumes 14 times its volume in water - making it the 5th most climate-warming crop. Today's extractive model of coffee production maximizes yields by thinning native flora, planting coffee in tight rows, and applying chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.
By 2050, rising temperatures paired with the increasing droughts and plant disease outbreaks will shrink the amount of land suitable for growing coffee by 50 percent while threatening 60 percent of all coffee species. This shock will be felt the most by the 25 million smallholder farmers who grow and harvest 80 percent of the coffee humanity consumes.
These producers grapple with thin margins and existential crises ranging from biodiversity loss and price volatility to climate change, which make coffee farming an even more precarious endeavor. Ultimately, farmers are left with no option but to choose between the health of their land and growing enough coffee to provide for their families.
Our theory of change is simple.
1. Establish long-term partnerships with farmers to support their transition towards more sustainable practices.
2. Coordinate with in-country technicians to help our growers integrate regenerative methods that unlock ecological and economic benefits.
3. Document changes in soil organic matter, microbial biodiversity, plant health, yields & revenues, expenses, and cup quality.
4. Share our insights with the world to empower the next generation of regenerative coffee farmers and consumers.