Starbucks and the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) have distributed 55.7 million coffee seedlings as part of a program to support Colombian growers.
The Fincas C.A.F.E. Practices Más Productivas project – which has now concluded – was first announced in November 2020 with an initial goal of distributing 23 million seedlings. It was expanded in April 2022 to include an additional 22 million seedlings.
The goal of the project was to provide seedlings of rust- and coffee berry disease-resistant varieties to help renovate Colombian coffee plots.
Starbucks’ total investment was valued at US$7.2 million over a four-year period.
The initiative is said to have benefited more than 17,000 coffee growers across 17 departments, supporting the renewal of 7200 hectares of resistant coffee varieties across Colombia and helping increase the productivity and profitability of their farms.
Germán Bahamón, General Manager of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation, says this joint project has enabled coffee growers in 17 departments to enhance the sustainability of their farms with resistant varieties.
“By guaranteeing access to high-quality, traceable plant material, we provide a vital resource to combat climate change, improve long-term productivity, and ensure a sustainable future for coffee,” he says.
In addition to coffee seedling distribution, the project also provided farmers with free fertiliser to support growth during the early stages of the plants’ development.
The free fertiliser incentivised farmers to continue renovating their coffee farms under challenging circumstances, which would ultimately protect and boost their long-term productivity.
The Starbucks Farmer Support Center in Manizales, Colombia opened in 2012 to provide farmers with access to resources and training and was central to monitoring the project’s execution. Additionally, it encouraged the participation of 12 Starbucks exporters and suppliers in the project.
