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coffee
sustainability
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Sustainable
Farming
There
is no clear definition of a sustainable farm or
sustainable farming, and definitions that have been
proposed are never agreed upon by those individuals who
wish to make "sustainability" a term used to
market coffee. The definition of coffee sustainability,
however, is logical. Sustainable coffee is coffee grown in
a manner that is kind to the environment and its people.
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Sustainable
Agriculture:
Ways to Keep Coffee Farming Sustainable
A
sustainable farm gives back as much to the land and people
as it receives. It seeks independence from
non-renewable resources, using renewable resources when
possible. Sustainable farming also minimizes pollution,
takes steps to care for the environment, and cares for its
employees.
A
sustainable farm will reuse coffee husks as heating fuel
rather than cutting down eucalyptus trees. It will plant
new trees for those used during heating, or it will
implement pollution free coffee dryers such as the solar
coffee dryer developed by Coffee
Kids.
Sustainable
farming implements practices to minimize water consumption
and to clean the water used. Water from the fermentation
tanks should never be returned to rivers or lakes, but
rather filtered naturally through the earth and then used
for coffee irrigation. Some excellent farms such as
Agribahia in Bahia, Brazil ferment pulped coffees without
water for a short time before sending the coffee to
demucilating machines. This cuts down on water waste
while allowing them to consistently provide some of
Brazil's best coffees.
A
sustainable farm will replace the natural nutrients of the
land by spreading fertilizers and organic matter
(composted coffee pulp) under the coffee trees and between
the coffee trees. This type of fertilization has been
found to increase yields over time and to produce a more
uniform and natural mineral content in the ground.
Sustainable
farms will also engage in practices such as shade growing,
biodiversification, organic farming, and sustainable
agriculture. In addition to seeking renewable energy
resources, they will promote education programs, provide
medical care for workers, and provide decent wages and
working conditions for their employees.
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