Kerala Govt to Start Climate Smart Coffee Project

The Kerala government is considering implementing the Climate Smart Coffee project in Wayanad in collaboration with the Netherlands. P Rajeeve, State Industries Minister, stated that before proceeding with the project, the Netherlands-based study team NLWorks would conduct technical feasibility, commercial viability, and social and ecological impact assessment.

The Minister, who met with the visiting Dutch team, stated that the study would take into account the long-term sustainability of the environment as well as ensure increased wages for coffee farmers in the region while implementing the project in the first phase.

Climate-smart coffee plantations strive to reduce climate change, improve climate resilience, and protect biodiversity. It has the potential to significantly increase farmer income while also creating attractive, local state-of-the-art employment opportunities in agroforestry, food, and energy production.

In Wayanad, the Dutch team hopes to form a coalition of local government, industry, academia, and environmental organizations. They have also proposed funding for the establishment of a model coffee farm.

The Minister stated that these initiatives are in line with the Government's vision of establishing a coffee park and increasing Wayanad exports.

Furthermore, Dutch coffee and spice companies are interested in collaborating with climate coffee, spices, and fruits. According to Rajeeve, NL Works will assist in coordinating and establishing this connection with the export market, thereby doubling the farmers' income.

In July 2021, a broad coalition of Indian and Dutch companies, universities, and government agencies signed an ambitious document outlining the shared goal of implementing the Climate Smart Coffee concept in Kerala and beyond.

Does Climate Affect Coffee?

Coffee was by far the most affected by the future climate change of the three crops. By 2050, the number of regions best suited to growing coffee had decreased by half in all three climate scenarios. Therefore, coffee companies recognize the importance of planning for and responding to climate change in order to mitigate supply, reputation, and quality risk and achieve their sustainability goals.