Research Initiative June 2009

2009 “ Finding Solutions for a Sustainable Future”

“ Engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment” Vision

“ Sustainable Coffee Farming Practices in Tarrazú, Costa Rica”

Certifications in CoopeTarrazú R.L.
Rain Forest Alliance
Fair Trade
C.A.F.E. Practices/ Starbucks Coffee Company

Sustainable Plan of CoopeTarrazú R.L.
Integration of the certifications

Research Initiative: Goals

Increased sustainable management of coffee plantations

Farm as a System
Coffee Plantation
Natural Resources
Farmers/ Workers
Practices/ Management

Specific goals
Scientific understanding about relationship between farmer practices and coffee production, quality, soils and biodiversity

Specific goals
Increased sustainable management of vulnerable riparian zones and water resources

Coffee Farmers Involved
Members of CoopeTarrazú
Core group (40 farmers from Tarrazú)
Complementary group (15 farmers from San Carlos de Tarrazú)
3 organic farmers from the region

Soil Erosion

Coffee Farmers: What are they Facing?
Prices of the inputs
Requests of certification programs
Necessity of improve their yields

What are they doing?
Lots
Farms
County
Province
Country
Region
Managing the landscapes in diferent scales

Capability Program
Increase awareness and understanding about concept of ecology in nature and “agroecology” involved in coffee production

Capability Program
Focusing in soil and water resource management inside the coffee farm, biodiversity conservation, integrated pest management, and crop management

Research Initiative and Farmers
Provide information about sustainable practices in coffee production

Promote the use and interpretation of soil analysis

Soil Samples Keep record of the fertility of soils

Interpretation of soil analysis Nutritional Plans based on Soil Analysis

Organic Inputs

Liming

“ Sampling plots”
Plote studied 2007-2009
Control
Treatment
Experimental Plots

Results

Efficiency in the farm
Improve their skills keeping track of the management

Improve their skills keeping track of the management

Capability Program
Increase motivation of farmers and managers to take action by keeping and analyzing production information, and developing production plans based on these production registries

Members of the farmers involved

Individual meetings with farmers

Workshops with farmers
Coffee management
Sustainability at farms
Natural resources management

Field Work
Coffee plant productivity and health assessment
Shade tree characterization
Mapping of the coffee fields
Microclimate characterization
Foliar and soil sample collections

Volunteer’s Teams

Coffee Quality
“ From the farm to the cup”

R elationship between Farmer Practices, Coffee Production and Coffee Quality

Coffee Quality
Coffee samples (harvesting season)
Tasting activity with farmers and specialists
Compare the management of the coffee plantations against coffee quality

Processing Coffee Samples

Tasting activities

Plans, Strategies for 2010 Research Initiative

Improving farmer’s skills Experimental plots Coordinating plans with CoopeTarrazú R.L. and more institutions from the region Volunteer’s Teams (Earthwatch Retails) Still working

¡Thanks for your attention!

Research Initiative June 2009

by Matthew Farber on Aug 17, 2009

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