The impact of sustainable certifications on coffee farming practices: a case study from Tarrazú region, Costa Rica

Kraus Eva. 2015. The impact of sustainable certifications on coffee farming practices: a case study from Tarrazú region, Costa Rica. Copenhagen : University of Copenhagen, 81 p. Master Thesis : University of Copenhagen

Encadrement : Skovmand Bosselmann, Aske ; De Neergaard, Andreas ; Sibelet, Nicole

Résumé : During the past decades, sustainable coffee certifications have become increasingly popular amongst the global consumer audience. These seals often evoke the impression that by buying certified coffee, environmental and socio-economic conditions in coffee production are improved. Many of the certifications rely on producer cooperatives to reach the individual farmer. However, studies investigating how theoretical certification standards are put into practice at farm-and cooperative level are scarce. This is especially the case for environmental standards. In consequence, it is not clear what constraints farmers and cooperative managers face in “greening” practices as aimed for by certifications. This case study portrays how environmental certification guidelines are implemented in two adjacent coffee cooperatives in Tarrazú region, Costa Rica. The objective was to investigate the impact of certifications on farming practices and to identify the main farm-and cooperative-level constrains for a more sustainable coffee production. The certifications researched were Fairtrade and C.A.F.E. Practices, which are managed as group certifications by the cooperatives (all farmers are certified collectively) as well as Rainforest Alliance, which is managed as individual certification (only some of the farmers at one of the cooperatives are certified). A mixed-methods approach was used, combining both quantitative and qualitative data. Data were mainly derived from a questionnaire survey with farmers (n=47), discussions with cooperative administrators (n=5), and key person interviews (n=2). Review of internal documents as well as review of secondary data complemented the findings. The study found that farmers being only certified Fairtrade and C.A.F.E. Practices are largely not aware of their participation in the programs. Thus, changes in farming practices due to group certifications could only to a very limited extent be identified. In the case of Rainforest Alliance, the main changes due to certifications as pointed out by certified farmers were an increased use of vegetation barriers as well as the banning of certain types of agro-chemicals. For the sample as a whole, since the introduction of certifications it could be observed a “greening” of farming practices. This applies to the use of herbicides as well as shade providing species in coffee fields, and to a limited extent regarding the use of compost/coffee pulp as soil amendments. Drawing from the questionnaire survey and various discussions with cooperative administrators, group certifications were found to have an impact on farming practices. They indirectly influence farming practices through the cooperatives. The effect of certifications on farming practices is relativized by the fact that the integration of certification standards into the cooperatives' services happened in an environment of an already ongoing discourse. The study identified as major constraints for a sustainable coffee production as fostered by certifications on the farm-level: the occurrence of a new pest, a new generation of farmers using more inputs as well as the farmers' perceptions of organic fertilizers/soil amendments as being inefficient and impractical. On the cooperative level, the major constraints were the two-fold strategies of the cooperatives which have to balance productivity and environmental sustainability goals, as well as a lack of capacities to disseminate information. Findings suggest that strengthening of the cooperatives' capacities and/or technical assistance are key to mediating a “greening” impact of certifications on farming practices.

Classification Agris : F08 - Systèmes et modes de culture
E70 - Commerce, commercialisation et distribution
D50 - Législation
H01 - Protection des végétaux - Considérations générales
F04 - Fertilisation

Auteurs et affiliations

• Kraus Eva, UCPH (DNK)

Source : Cirad-Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/576665/)

Métriques

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