MILAN – The Coffee Science Foundation (CSF) and Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), in their continuing partnership, have announced a new research project. Together, they will support an extensive literature review, which will endeavor to understand the impact of interventions on farmers’ incomes and whether such interventions can improve the livelihoods of the millions of resource-poor around the world.
The project, led by researchers at University of Naples Parthenope and London School of Economics, will develop a comprehensive understanding of our current knowledge of which farming interventions have succeeded in improving coffee farmer (and other agriculturists) prosperity, with a focus on randomized control trials and quasi-experimental studies.
“Most coffee farmers are smallholders and about half of them live below the international poverty line,” notes Davide Del Prete, Associate Professor of Economics at University of Naples Parthenope, “these farmers face unique challenges in improving production and productivity. Several interventions and programs have been implemented in the sector but, to date, there is a lack of a systematic review of their effects. With our research, we aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of these interventions and highlight their success in improving coffee farmer productivity and income.”
Financial support is led by KDP, in their continuing commitment to coffee producers.
With their support, CSF is able to advance a key component of our research agenda: to research sustainability interventions and their real impact.
“Partnering with the Specialty Coffee Association creates a unique opportunity to illuminate learnings about the most effective ways to improve coffee farmer prosperity,” says Whitney Kakos, Director of Supply Chain Sustainability at Keurig Dr Pepper. “In commissioning this study, the SCA is providing data-backed insights that enable stakeholders in the coffee industry like KDP to optimize the impact of their investments on farmer livelihoods.”
As the research arm of the SCA, Coffee Science Foundation aims to provide the specialty coffee community with scientifically rigorous research that benefits the entire coffee value chain.
“Many companies seek to act positively within their supply chains but have little information about what interventions might do the most good,” explains Peter Giuliano, Executive Director of the Coffee Science Foundation, “our hope is that this research is an early step towards providing this information to specialty coffee businesses everywhere.”
About Coffee Science Foundation
The Coffee Science Foundation (CSF) is the research arm of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), since April 2019. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the understanding of coffee and secure its future through research, knowledge-building, and outreach.
The CSF is a unifying force that drives collaborative, pre-competitive, and scientifically rigorous research that benefits the entire coffee community, including the coffee consuming public. The results of CSF-managed projects are then disseminated to the global coffee community at events, through publications, and coffee education programs.
About the Specialty Coffee Association
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is a trade association built on foundations of openness, inclusivity, and the power of shared knowledge. The SCA’s purpose is to foster global coffee communities to support activities to make coffee a more sustainable, equitable and thriving activity for the whole value chain. From coffee farmers to baristas and roasters, our membership spans the globe, encompassing every element of the coffee value chain.
The SCA acts as a unifying force within the specialty coffee industry and works to make coffee better by raising standards worldwide through a collaborative and progressive approach.
Dedicated to building an industry that is fair, sustainable, and nurturing for all, the SCA draws on years of insights and inspiration from the specialty coffee community. Learn more at sca.coffee.
