Nestle: Boosting coffee production in Africa - ITREALMS

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A coffee farmer, Francois Dadi Serikpa, from Gnamagnoa in Côte d’Ivoire, joined Nestlé’s Nescafé Plan 10 years ago. 

The coffee farms that had been in his family for generations were producing poor yields, making it hard for him to earn a good living to care for his family. Under the Plan, he worked hard with Nestlé agronomists who taught him better farming practices and how to grow coffee sustainably. 

Four (4) years later, Dadi was very proud to have increased his production five-fold, growing more than two tons per hectare. Dadi embodies the success stories of thousands of farmers across 11 countries, who are part of the Nescafé Plan worldwide.

Dadi is one of the millions of farmers all around the world facing the threat of climate change disrupting coffee production. To grow properly, coffee crops require specific temperature, light and humidity levels. However, rising temperatures will reduce the area suitable for growing coffee by up to 50% by 2050. 

Water shortages have also left some coffee farms abandoned or converted for other uses. In Côte d’Ivoire, coffee production usually peaks at about 100 000 metric tons a year, but recently took a severe hit when the seasonable rain pattern reduced supply by 15%.

Africa accounts for about 12% of the world’s coffee production and the high-quality and taste of coffee from the continent are loved by coffee connoisseurs worldwide. Côte d’Ivoire alone is the largest coffee producer in West Africa and the third largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, scientists warn that without conservation, monitoring and seed preservation measures, millions of coffee farmers on the continent could lose their livelihoods, impacting the quality of their lives and their families.