Leading industry experts met in New York to address coffee’s climate crisis and call for global investment in regenerative agriculture through public-private collaboration
Andrea Illy: “It is critical that we implement regenerative solutions now because they work and deliver positive results.”
In a world facing tangible climate challenges, the future of coffee is at stake. From droughts in Brazil to extreme weather events in Vietnam, climatic fluctuations threaten the The livelihood of over 12.5 million coffee farmersmost of whom are small farmers. The Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award 2024 took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New Yorkto discuss the urgent question: How can we secure the future of coffee in the face of these environmental and socioeconomic threats?
The panel discussion organized by illycaffè as part of this year’s Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award was hosted by Clare Reichenbachexecutive director of the James Beard Foundation, moderated. Well-known leaders and visionaries from the fields of coffee and sustainability, including: Andrea IllyChairman illycaffè and Co-Chair of the Regenerative Society Foundation, Massimo Botturaworld-renowned chef and UN goodwill ambassador, Jamil AhmedDirector of the UNEP Office in New York, Andrea DeMarcoproject manager at UNIDO, Raina LangSenior Director of Sustainable Coffee at Conservation International and Vanusia Nogueiraexecutive director of the International Coffee Organization.
The panel highlighted the urgent need to shift coffee farming to a regenerative model to build resilience, improve farmers’ livelihoods and reduce environmental impact. A key focus was on creating a $10 billion public and private fund for the coming decade to specifically support small farmers in tropical regions that are severely affected by the effects of climate change.
“Since Expo 2015, we have been working tirelessly to create a framework to protect coffee for generations to come”said Andrea Illy. “Regenerative agriculture has shown that it can deliver high yields and quality while restoring natural resources. We must act now to scale these solutions globally – through an international fund. It is crucial that we implement regenerative approaches because we see that they work and deliver positive results.”
Find the detailed press release here