Threats to Ecological Farming A Grave Concern

Coffee farming originally developed in Ethiopia as a ground crop that existed beneath a variety of shade trees that also provided habitat for such wildlife as birds, butterflies, insects and animals. Traditionally, farmers have used sustainable agricultural techniques, including composting coffee pulp, rotating crops and not applying expensive chemicals and fertilizers. Farmers in addition cultivated staples along with cash crops such as coffee, and planting other crops such as bananas and nut trees -- crops that provided food security as well as additional sources of income.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the US Agency for International Development awarded 80 million dollars for plantations in Central America to replace traditional shade grown coffee farming with "sun cultivation" to increase yields. This shift led to the destruction of vast forests and a loss of biodiversity that amounted to 1.1 million hectares. Sun-cultivated coffee involves cutting down trees, mono-cropping and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This in turn leads to extensive deforestation, pesticide pollution and the extinction of songbirds by way of habitat destruction. According to the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, industrial coffee production is one of the major threats to songbirds in the western hemisphere.

Pesticides used in coffee production remain in the region of origin. Pesticides poison the earth and local water supplies and the animal population. DDT, a notorious insecticide, has been banned for use in North America but is still widely available for use in other countries.

Another grave concern lies with genetically modified coffee. A recent report by Action Aid in the UK has revealed industry research to produce genetically-modified coffee that can be ripened all at once, thus increasing yield and decreasing labor costs. If successfully developed, this type of coffee could put millions of small time farmers out of work.

For these reasons and others, many bird, tree and biodiversity conservationists have developed standards for promoting "shade grown" or "bird friendly" certified coffee. The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Rainforest Alliance and the Seattle Audubon Society all promote various labels of coffee that promote tree and bird conserving farming practices. Paying farmers a fair wage with incentives for good ecological practices ensures that the benefits of organic farming techniques reach the farmer as well consumers and the environment.