The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center is proud to sponsor the first Sustainable Coffee Congress, to be held in September, 1996 at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.
Coffee is a crop of tremendous importance to the more than 80 countries that grow it and the world of consumers that drinks it. In much of Central and South America, it has long been grown beneath a diverse canopy of shade trees, creating a forest-like environment which protects the soil, reduces the need for toxic chemicals, and provides habitat for migratory birds and a host of other forest organisms. In the past few decades, this traditional method of coffee production has been replaced by technified farms, where the canopy is removed and a variety of agrochemicals are used. We believe this has had a detrimental impact not only on the birds, the trees, and the rich biota of the tropics, but also on the hundreds of thousands of farmers and farm workers associated with the coffee sector.
When concerned coffee drinkers find out about the impact that coffee technification is having on the environment, they often want to know where they can buy coffee produced in a sustainable manner. The time is right to bring growers, farm workers, importers, roasters and consumers together to develop a truly sustainable coffee for the marketplace.
However, before we begin to do this, we must communicate. Many different groups of people have an abiding interest in the development of sustainable coffee. But these groups are often operating in different organizations and far-flung spheres of influence. It is not uncommon that their efforts are duplicated or, worse, go unnoticed by others with similar goals. As a first step towards developing sustainable coffee, we are bringing together people from these different worlds to tell their stories, provide their perspectives and expertise, and share their information.
The first Sustainable Coffee Congress will consist of two days of formal presentations on various themes, including the impact of coffee cultivation on people, biodiversity, and the environment of the coffee regions; the economics of different modes of coffee production; the role of organic coffee production; the development of fair trade strategies for buying and selling coffee; and the potential for "green" marketing. We are inviting growers, representatives of small farmer cooperatives, non-governmental organizations, roasters, importers, biologists, geographers, and political economists to speak to these issues. The third and final day we will roll up our sleeves, form several working groups, and develop specific recommendations for the development of a sustainable coffee. More importantly, we will lay the foundation for an ongoing coalition dedicated to sustainable coffee -- an organization that can act on the recommendations of the congress.
Please join us. For the people, flora, and birds and other fauna of the coffee growing regions, this effort can help place environmental, social and economic sustainability on the map of the new world order.