With producers facing issues of climate change, migration of the younger generations to urban areas, and fluctuating coffee prices, it has become increasingly difficult for smallholder farmers to be successful and sustainable. It’s been 17 years since the last coffee crisis, and since then the industry has largely failed in making sustainable coffee a reality. Coffee prices are near record lows, overproduction and deforestation are continuing at a rapid pace, natural resources are being depleted, and youth are losing interest in coffee. The current prospects for farmers and youth are therefore limited. Key sector stakeholders hold the power, but what is needed are the insights, experiences on successes and failures, and know-how to tackle these issues and bring focus to the farmers. For farmers, family is important; they strive for improved livelihoods through access to markets, valuable trainings, stable organizational structures, and a level playing field. 

Here, a panel discussion featuring Jörn Severloh, Christopher Mujabi, Karina Orellana, Sara Morrocchi, and Kathrine Löfberg brings together coffee industry leaders and farmers to discuss these critical issues to find common understandings and a path forward. By developing innovative partnerships that cater for social and environmental values, these issues can be addressed, creating opportunities for all stakeholders alike to establish a more sustainable coffee industry.

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