Costa Rican coffee, renowned for its high quality, is now embarking on a groundbreaking project to enhance its reputation in global markets. The new initiative, called Coffee + Zero Deforestation, seeks to guarantee that no deforestation occurs throughout its production process. The project will directly benefit more than 2,678 coffee producers, 304 mills, and 93 exporting companies in the country.
Promoted by the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE) and the CRUSA Foundation, the initiative aims to increase the competitiveness of Costa Rican coffee, ensure compliance with European Union standards, and strengthen the sustainability and resilience of the coffee sector. A key goal is to position Costa Rican coffee as a deforestation-free product on the international stage, protecting over 40,000 trees in the process.
To achieve these objectives, the project will focus on promoting sustainable agricultural practices that meet international regulations, particularly those related to the European Green Deal. The project will also encourage coffee farms in Costa Rica to adopt regenerative farming practices.
Today marks the official launch of the Café Plus Project, a transformative initiative for the Costa Rican coffee industry. Amid the sector’s current challenges, this project underscores ICAFE and the CRUSA Foundation’s commitment to the sustainable future of Costa Rican coffee. Café+ will offer technical support to coffee producers, enhance Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and improve the sector’s technological infrastructure, enabling the industry to meet increasingly stringent international regulations.
Key Components of the Coffee + Zero Deforestation Initiative:
Compliance with International Regulations: The first phase of the project focuses on ensuring that Costa Rican coffee meets the European Green Deal’s requirements for deforestation-free production. This will be achieved through training programs and strengthening the CR CAFÉ technological tool, which will use geolocation data to manage relevant farm information.
Technology and Technical Assistance: The second phase will provide advanced technology and technical support to coffee producers, helping them implement sustainable agricultural practices across their farms.
Payment for Results Mechanism: The final component introduces a payment system that rewards producers for adopting regenerative farming practices in line with international standards. This includes developing financial schemes that promote agroforestry systems, which will bring additional economic benefits to producers while improving the long-term sustainability of coffee crops.
For the CRUSA Foundation, this project aligns with its strategic pillars of Technological Innovation and Climate Action, aiming to drive a greener, more sustainable economy. Flora Montealegre, Executive Director of the CRUSA Foundation, emphasized the importance of the initiative:
“Café+ provides producers with the opportunity to produce high-quality coffee in a sustainable way while meeting international standards. The project also incorporates key elements such as technological education, closing equity and gender gaps, and offering financial incentives to those who protect the forest.”
Costa Rica’s coffee sector faces significant challenges, including the effects of climate change, low productivity, the need for generational integration, and the importance of increasing female participation in all stages of production. This initiative will improve the sector’s ability to meet international regulations and will have a positive impact on coffee-growing families and European Union coffee operators. The project also places a strong emphasis on gender equality, ensuring equal participation from women and young people in all phases. Additionally, the initiative will protect more than 40,000 trees, helping to preserve the environment while securing a sustainable future for Costa Rican coffee.
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