Implementing long-term agroforestry projects within its global supply chain, collaborating with coffee farmers to advance sustainable agriculture and address climate change
Nespresso’s agroforestry program works with coffee farmers across six countries, regenerating agricultural landscapes and building resilience towards climate change.
Each agroforestry project has been implemented within specific regional contexts, planting valuable tree species in partnership with farmers to restore vital ecosystems while enhancing local livelihoods.
Arabica and Robusta coffee plants are drastically affected by the impacts of climate change, such as extreme temperatures, erratic weather patterns, frequent droughts, and heavy rains.
To protect the ecosystems they depend upon, coffee producers need to adopt sustainable agricultural practices while also promoting the benefits of forests within their communities. The future of coffee relies on farmers building resiliency by bringing trees back into their farms, avoiding deforestation, protecting water sources, and regenerating soil quality.
Agroforestry is a land-use system in which trees are grown directly within and around plots used for coffee crops, in order to preserve and enhance local ecosystems. Trees provide multiple services that improve the long-term sustainability of coffee production, as well as increasing the carbon sequestration potential above ground in added biomass and below ground into a healthier soil.
Land conservation with agroforestry is a powerful tool to restore degraded ecosystems, improve farmers’ livelihoods, and increase the resiliency of coffee production in front of the negative impacts of climate change.
Over eight years, the Nespresso program has created a vibrant green corridor of 200km, connecting the regions of Cauca and Nariño with nearly two million trees planted.
PUR and the Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros launched the Colombian Nespresso Agroforestry project in 2014 to recover eroded soil, protect freshwater sources, and preserve the long-term quality and quantity of coffee.
With more than 50 different tree species planted over the last eight years, the Colombian Program which now covers four regions, has a significant role in supporting and enhancing biodiversity in Cauca, Narino, Huila and Cundinamarca.
Since 2014, in collaboration with local partners, PUR has developed three agroforestry projects with Nespresso focused on conserving soil, improving biodiversity, and restoring watersheds.
After eight years, 2,000 farmers have been empowered through agroforestry, receiving long-term benefits for soil and water quality, while also reintroducing key tree species into the coffee landscape.
Costa Rica is renowned for its high-quality coffee. However, despite its abundance of natural resources, it has faced severe deforestation due to the expansion of the agricultural frontier.
In 2019, PUR started the Nespresso Agroforestry Program in Costa Rica to enhance ecosystem services and foster biodiversity — which has been crucial for the survival of several endangered species across the country.
Ethiopia has become severely deforested due to the need for fuelwood for a growing population, and the lack of expertise in managing regional forests — leading to the depletion of water sources, loss of soil fertility, and significant erosion of valuable farmlands.
In 2015, PUR launched the Nespresso Agroforestry Program in the Sidama region to increase the resilience of coffee parcels to climate change, providing technical assistance and diversifying income with fruit trees to support self-sufficiency.
Located in Uganda, Rwenzori is the largest Arabica-producing region in Africa. Unfortunately, this area has been heavily deforested in the past several decades due to agricultural expansion.
The Nespresso Agroforestry Program is contributing to the reintroduction of native tree species, the creation of natural buffer zones for wildlife, and farmer empowerment through income diversification — thereby increasing coffee producers’ resilience to climate change.
In Aceh, coffee constitutes the main source of revenue for low-income smallholder farmers. Yet these coffee plantations are not effectively managed for long-term sustainability, with coffee trees aging over 25 years old and the health of shade trees neglected.
In partnership with Nespresso, Aceh coffee farmers began implementing agroforestry in 2021 with two AAA cooperatives, to rejuvenate agricultural lands and improve the quality of coffee production.
Stories from the field, highlighting our work with clients, farmers and partners worldwide.
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