Why your morning coffee depends on closing the gender gap | Pro IQRA News

If you’ve ever tried organizing a coffee run in the office, you’ll know that everyone has their own caffeine-based characteristics. But whether you’re the type who opts for espresso or a shot of oat-milk cappuccino, there’s one unifying factor. One of the most popular drinks on the planet would not be possible without women.

According to the International Coffee Organization, 70 percent of the labor that goes into coffee production is women. Meanwhile, less than a third of farms are run by women—and many of these women have less access to land, knowledge, and finance, which directly affects their crop productivity, revenue, and family well-being.

It’s a problem affecting coffee drinkers everywhere, especially as global coffee consumption continues to rise steadily. Only by empowering women can we meet future demands for the beverage, as well as protect production from the effects of climate change. According to some estimates, by 2050, the number of areas that are very suitable for growing coffee will decrease by 50 percent, due to a combination of higher temperatures and increased precipitation, which will affect soil pH and texture.

For Merling Bresa, founder of Prodecoop coffee cooperative in Nicaragua, it starts with getting down to earth. “This is one of the challenges we face; although there are 854 women, the majority of these women have less than two hectares. Women generally have the smallest productive area.”

Preza Premium fair trade to help address this. With fair trade commodity prices, it is a community fund that farmers can use to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions. They use some of this money to help women buy their land or renovate their plots.

Prodecoop also directly trains women both in the coffee value chain and in areas such as leadership, finance and credit. “The goal is that by developing their skills they can access leadership roles,” Briza says.

The land is also a focus for Marie Claire, who works at the Koakaka coffee cooperative in Rwanda. It’s part of the company’s Women in Coffee group, which has just under 300 members. One of her current initiatives calls for male farmers to give away a small plot of coffee grounds to a member of their family.

“The changes here, caused by the co-op and caused by the women’s group,” she says. We learn to plant trees that add more shade to coffee fields, and we learn proper techniques for applying manure and sawdust to them.

“Coffee farming has led me to good achievements. My children cannot afford to lack food as a result of working on the coffee farm. So there is a change.”

Patricia Alexander is the Managing Director of Social Lender common interest. Provides support for fair trade businesses and social impact around the world, and provides working capital at fair rates.

She agrees that empowering women in the barista industry has far-reaching consequences. “Gender equality plays a very important role in strengthening societies,” says Alexander. “More than a third of the producers we reach are women, and by supporting those who live in rural and remote areas in particular, we can increase productivity and boost economic growth. Narrowing the gender gap not only helps women thrive, it helps their families and communities thrive “.

The common interest also puts women at the center of their investments. In addition to tracing the impact of their funding on women entrepreneurs, much of their funding allows women farmers to be paid at harvest time, not when the coffee beans are exported.

However, the key to success is working together. “I encourage all women to be ready for big goals and have the confidence to achieve them,” says Elisabeth Arista Salazar. She is the chairwoman of the women’s committee of the Cooparm coffee cooperative in Peru. “You’ll be amazed at how often this mixture works miracles.”

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