BERLIN, Germany – Overcoming the inequality in the coffee value chain starts with dialogue. International Coffee Partners (ICP) therefore invites smallholder farmers from Honduras and Uganda to Berlin to discuss with industry leaders to commonly find solutions. Kathrine Löfberg, Chair of Löfbergs, and Jörn Severloh, Managing Director Neumann Gruppe, will meet them at the SCA World of Coffee in Berlin during the Lecture
“An Unequal Pair: Coffee Industry Leaders & Farmers Discuss Their Needs & How to Align Them“ on Thursday, June 6th at 11:15 am in Lecture Room 2.
“The most important issues coffee farmers are facing in my region is making a living wage and adapting to the changing climate. Currently, with low coffee prices, low quality, and the effects of climate change, farmers are finding it harder to make ends meet. What we farmers need is to have our voices heard”, says Karina Orellana from Honduras who will participate in the discussion together with Christopher Mujabi from Uganda.
It is becoming increasingly more important that responsible action is taken to ensure the future of coffee farming. With extreme climate conditions, youth migration, and fluctuating coffee prices, it is time for a new way of doing things. “The shareholders of ICP are not just looking at the next financial quarter or even year. We are looking at our businesses at a generational level. The decisions we make need to benefit the next generation; of owners, consumers and coffee farmers, only then it is sustainable”, says Kathrine Löfberg chairperson of ICP.
International Coffee Partners (ICP) is, therefore, bringing together the coffee industry leaders and farmers to discuss and find common understandings and a path forward. “The status quo is no longer enough. It is my hope that this dialogue will highlight the importance of inclusion and set in motion real change”, adds Orellana.
With coffee consultant Sara Morrocchi, the discussion has a moderator with deep knowledge of the coffee industry. She is passionate about helping to create long-term sustainable solutions for all coffee value chain actors. “I trust this is going to be a candid and honest discussion amongst very different actors who yet share a similar passion, namely to improve farmers’ livelihoods. I believe together we will be able to draw a path to better collaborations, recognizing our weaknesses and building to be stronger together”, says Morrocchi.
The pre-competitive organization of ICP has shown that like-minded companies can work together to generate long-term impacts at coffee origin. ICP’s business-oriented approach to development asks the farmers to commit themselves to self-improving their livelihoods. Making a difference is at the center of operations. ICP aims to reach as many farmers as possible. But not only for the numbers. Most important is the positive impact on the improvement of smallholder coffee farmers livelihoods.
ICP invites the whole coffee industry to join this event to start a dialogue and work together on a combined approach. Please note that you will need a SCA World of Coffee ticket to participate in the panel discussion
About International Coffee Partners (ICP)
ICP is a pre-competitive organization of the eight leading European coffee companies Delta (Portugal), Franck (Croatia), Joh. Johannson (Norway), Lavazza (Italy), Löfbergs (Sweden), Neumann Gruppe (Germany), Paulig (Finland), Tchibo (Germany). It was founded in 2001 with the aim to make smallholder coffee farmers competitive based on sustainable practices in order to improve their livelihoods.
This vision goes beyond the implementation of individual development projects; International Coffee Partners wants to contribute to the sustainable transformation of the coffee sector at large. Innovative regional programs in Central America, Uganda, Tanzania, and Indonesia, as well as Brazil demonstrate the significant benefits for farmer families and the entire supply chain. With the help of implementing partner, Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung, the projects of ICP can be realized and put into action on a global scale.
