Lecture Description
Coffee production is facing devastating impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are shrinking viable production regions, while unstable growing conditions and increased risks of pests and diseases are wreaking havoc on coffee farmers’ livelihoods. Although commitments have been made by governments and companies to reduce CO2 emissions, the impacts of climate change continue to wreak havoc on the industry. In this lecture explore solutions from the ground up – led by farmer experimentation, trials, and proven practices that result in soil and field regeneration, climate resiliency, greater productivity, and real carbon capture in coffee plots.
Our panellists will share their experiences and illustrate how small-scale farmers and the industry can collaborate to build greater resiliency and yields, improving the livelihoods of coffee farmers and others connected to the industry. We will discuss how adopting farmer-led practices can achieve soil and field regeneration, climate resiliency, and real carbon capture in coffee plots. By turning words into action, we can address the urgent challenge of climate change in coffee production and build a sustainable future for the industry. Join us for a discussion on agroecological practices and the role of farmers in building real climate resiliency in coffee.
Date: Friday, June 23, 2023
Time: 13:00pm - 14:00pm EET
Location: Lecture Room 1
Presenter:
Niels Haak
Director Sustainable Coffee Partnerships, Conservation International & Sustainable Coffee Challenge
Niels Haak is Director Sustainable Coffee Partnerships at Conservation International, a globally operating non-for profit working to ensure a healthy, more prosperous planet that supports the well-being of people. In his role, Niels works actors from across the coffee sector to co-develop programs and solutions that will drive sustainability throughout the coffee supply chains and address critical challenges within coffee producing landscapes. Niels leads Conservation International’s efforts to convene and facilitate the Sustainable Coffee Challenge - a dynamic and diverse coalition of partners from across the coffee sector dedicated to making coffee the world’s first sustainable agricultural product.
Pablo Urbina Aviles
Coffee Coordinator, Fairtrade International
Pablo is the coffee coordinator at Fairtrade International and has been working in the field of certified organic agriculture for more than 5 years. Until 2017, he worked and lived in Nicaragua for Bio Latina as the Coordinator of organic certifications for the Central American Region. Later on, he had the opportunity to move to Peru to work on a project aimed at developing a participatory guarantee system for small farmers in urban and peri-urban areas in Lima. This project focused on improving market access for farmers and promoting their adoption of agroecological practices to strengthen their resilience to climate change. More recently, Pablo was awarded an international climate protection fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany to research how participatory guarantee systems can help farmers improve their adaptive capacity to climate change. Pablo holds a postgraduate diploma in environmental management from the Technische Universitat Dresden and a Minor in Environmental Engineering from the Universidad Centroamericana.