Costa Rica Launches Coffee+ Initiative, Guaranteeing Zero Deforestation – CoffeeTalk

Costa Rica’s Coffee+ initiative, promoted by the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE) and the CRUSA Foundation, aims to improve the coffee sector’s competitiveness, ensure compliance with European Union requirements, and strengthen sustainability. The initiative will benefit over 2,678 coffee producers, 304 coffee mills, and 93 exporting companies by promoting sustainable agricultural practices in compliance with international regulations, particularly those associated with the European Green Pact. The project will also encourage the adoption of regenerative practices on Costa Rican coffee farms.

The Costa Rican coffee sector, which comprises over 27,000 producing families, 304 mills, and 105 exporters, faces challenges such as climate change, low productivity, generational integration, and increased women’s participation in the production chain. The project aims to improve compliance with international standards, positively impact coffee-growing families and European Union operators, and ensure equal participation of women and young people.

The initiative prioritizes the inclusion of women and young people in all phases of the project, guaranteeing their equal participation and allowing for the protection of over 40,000 trees. The project will foster technological education, close equity and gender gaps, and provide economic incentives to those who protect the forest.

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