illycaffè and the International Coffee Organization (ICO) have brought together top experts from key international organisations to find solutions to tackle climate change and make coffee communities more resilient. The Colloquium was organised on the occasion of the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award 2022 by illycaffè and the ICO together with its Coffee Public-Private Task Force (CPPTF).
Welcomed by the Councillor of the Municipality of Rome, Alessandro Onorato, institutions, farmers, and representatives of the coffee chain attended the meeting and took part in the debate. It also included the participation and testimony of the Deputy Director of the General Management for Development Cooperation (DGCS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), Roberto Colaminè.
According to the ICO, the coffee sector now comprises 25 million farmers in over 50 countries located in the tropical coffee belt, and over three billion cups are consumed worldwide each day.
The tools to be used to guarantee prosperity for farmers, their families and the entire coffee supply chain were analysed and discussed by the Executive Director of the ICO, Vanúsia Nogueira, who was joined by the ICO’s Head of Operations, Gerardo Patacconi, the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Maximo Torero Cullen, as well as top experts from the European Commission, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and by the President of illycaffè, Andrea Illy.
Agreeing on the urgent need to reduce the risk generated by climate change through the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices and circular economy solutions, new financial mechanisms were identified to increase investments that can enhance the resilience and productivity of coffee cultivation, improving the income of farming communities.
Hoping for greater coordination among all development partners, the ICO and the private sector, a call was made to the financial community to establish a global coffee resilience fund, drawing on all available public and private financial instruments. The ICO says this is a ground-breaking initiative not only for the coffee sector but for agriculture in general.
In this regard, it was announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Development Cooperation has funded a project with UNIDO to support and assist Ethiopia in investing in the coffee sector.
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