The International Coffee Organization (ICO) and the Sustainable Coffee Challenge (SCC) have published the Guide to Access Green and Climate Funding for the Coffee Sector: The Global Environment Facility (GEF). This new guide seeks to assist governments of coffee-producing countries to access GEF funding in order to address coffee sector challenges. The GEF, in its new four-year replenishment cycle, known as GEF-7, with an allocation of US$4.1 billion, has included coffee in the list of commodities eligible for funding. GEF-7 provides an opportunity for countries to prioritise investments in development programs that will not only enable sustainable coffee production, but also have a positive impact on nature conservation, as well as on the livelihoods of coffee-producing communities. “Actors from across the sector need to drive investments to help ensure the continued sustainability of coffee production in light of the pressing challenges presented by climate change,” says José Sette, Executive Director of the ICO. “To date, coffee projects received just US$32.8 million GEF funds, representing less than 0.2 per cent of the total GEF funding pot, and US$223 million in co-financing. The coffee sector needs to take full advantage of such financing mechanisms and act swiftly to unlock green and climate finance by promoting practices, strategies and enablers for a climate resilient coffee supply chain and economy.” The guide is the outcome of a partnership between the ICO and the SCC, formalised at the 121st session of the International Coffee Council held in April this year in Mexico City. Conservation International convenes and facilitates the SCC to spur the actions and investments necessary to make coffee the first sustainable agriculture product in the world. “The opportunity of GEF-7 is extremely timely for the global coffee sector, as nearly every major coffee-producing landscape is under stress due to the impact of climate change,” says Bambi Semroc, Vice-President for Sustainable Markets and Strategy at Conservation International. “Rising temperatures, droughts and changing weather patterns are predicted to reduce the overall land suitable for growing coffee by 50 per cent. As traditional growing areas decrease, farmers may look to plant coffee in protected locations situated in biodiversity hotspots, such as forested areas located higher up on mountainsides that are designated for conservation.” The Guide to Access Green and Climate Funding for the Coffee Sector: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) can be accessed here. Printed copies will be distributed at the 122nd session of the International Coffee Council, taking place from 17 to 21 September in London, United Kingdom. Both organisations will be developing further support guides on international financing opportunities to help drive investments in the coffee sector to address the global impact of climate change.
illycaffè renews partnership with Salone del Mobile.Milano
Italian coffee company illycaffè has renewed its role as the official partner of international design fair Salone del Mobile.Milano, taking...