Recently at The Kaffeeklatsch, we're hearing inquiries from folks about
"shade grown" coffee. The question is frequently coupled with queries
about "sustainable" coffee, and "bird friendly" coffee.
We've been asked if we know what these coffees entail, which countries produce
shade grown coffee, followed by the inevitable, "are any of our coffees
shade grown?" The answer to all of the above in an unequivocal
"YES."
As the title implies, "shade grown" coffee is coffee cultivated under
a canopy of sun filtering shade trees. The extent, type, and utility of shade
trees employed vary from farm to farm and country to country. In Chiapas, Mexico
and Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua, for example the small peasant-owned farms
typically cultivate their coffee plants under a multi-storied shade canopy of
citrus trees, leguminous trees, and native hardwoods. In the more
agro-industrial setting of Costa Rica and Colombia, meanwhile, when shade trees
are employed, they are frequently no more than a thin and sporadic canopy of a
single species nitrogen fixing variety.
Traditionally, all coffee was grown under a canopy of shade trees. The original
típica and borbón varieties of coffee, those brought over to the New World
centuries ago, are relatively intolerant of direct sunlight and require the
filtering effect of shade trees lest the leaves will burn. These ancient
varieties grow to heights of twenty or more feet, require ample space to grow,
are typically only moderately prolific bean producers, yet render a wonderful
cup. In the last twenty-five years, however, new sun tolerant varieties of
coffee have been hybridized - caturra, catuaí, mundo novo, and variedad
colombiana, for example, which can be cultivated without a shade covering. These
new varieties are shorter and denser in stature, allow for a much greater plant
population per acre, and usually produce more prolifically.
So why would a farmer choose to stay with the shade grown granddaddies? The
answer is beautifully simple: shade-grown coffees are more ecologically and
economically conservative, sport greater bio-diversity, and are thus more
"sustainable" than non-shade coffee farms. This is so, for a myriad of
reasons. In terms of ecological conservation, the shade trees serve numerous
purposes. In addition to their obvious role as a sun screen for the coffee
plants, they also provide a nitrogen-rich mulch to the coffee soil as their
leaves fall and decompose on the ground. In addition to being a natural
fertilizer, the presence of the mulch is also useful in soil moisture
conservation, suppression of weed growth, and prevention of soil runoff during
the rainy season. The result is a lessened if not non-existent need for chemical
fertilizers and herbicides.
The shade trees can also act as an economic buffer for the coffee farmer.
Earlier we pointed out the varying layers and types of shade trees employed on
small farms in Nicaragua and Mexico. Frequently, the lowest layer will be
citrus, avocado, and banana trees, which provide not only food for the family,
but frequently allow for excess to be sold at local produce markets. The upper
shade story, meanwhile, is typically composed of native hardwood trees or large
nitrogen-fixing leguminous trees, is another economic resource. As these trees
are thinned and pruned throughout the year, their branches and timber provide a
source of fuel and cooking wood, fencing material, and a viable source of lumber
for building and construction purposes. In times of low coffee prices, clearly,
the presence of the shade trees is integral in the economic survival of the
small farmer.
Finally, shaded coffee farms perform an only recently recognized function - that
of sanctuary for resident and migratory bird and animal life. Since the mid
1970's, rain forests and orchards have been decimated at an alarming rate in
South and Central America. As the forest disappears, the shaded coffee farm
becomes a sort of tropical refuge and sanctuary for the forest dwelling fauna,
mainly birds. Experts from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center have documented
sightings of up to 150 different bird species in a shaded coffee farm; in
unshaded coffee farms, however, only five to twenty species were counted. While
this is great news for members of the Audubon Society, it is actually
significant for the coffee farmer because a diverse and large bird population
can often be an excellent source of insect and pest control. In general, an
increase in bio-diversity results in a far lower risk of infestation, plague,
and disease in the coffee farm. Thus, there is less need for insecticides - more
sustainability for the farmer.
Despite these many benefits of cultivating coffee under a canopy of shade trees,
farmers continue to elect to remove the shade trees and plant the new
sun-tolerant varieties in dense stands for the hopes of higher production. While
higher production is likely, the ecological price tag is higher on these farms
due to the increased dependence on herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, as
well as increased soil erosion and water runoff. Nonetheless, this continues to
be the current mode in coffee farming, particularly some areas of Brazil,
Colombia, and Costa Rica.
If you as a consumer would prefer to buy "shade grown" coffee, what
are your choices and how can you be sure it is truly shade grown? Fortunately,
in most coffee growing countries the majority of coffee is still cultivated
under shade trees, with the most notable exceptions being the Big Two of
Colombia and Brazil, and to a lesser extent Costa Rica. Meanwhile, the coffees
of Ethiopia, Sumatra, New Guinea and Timor are virtually all shade grown. In
Latin America, the coffees from southern Mexico, northern Nicaragua, El
Salvador, Peru, Panama, and Huehuetenango in Guatemala are primarily shade
grown. Furthermore, most (but certainly not all) certified organic coffees are
shade grown. While this list is hardly complete, it does provide a starting
point when considering which coffee you want to buy.
Unlike organic coffee, there is still no established set of standards or an
accepted or recognized certification body for shade grown coffees, although
there are several agencies attempting to establish themselves in this new niche.
Your best bet as a consumer is to buy certified organic coffees as well as
coffees from the regions listed above. Our Nicaraguan, Sumatran, El Salvador and
Mexican Organic coffees are all shade grown. Furthermore, many coffee estates,
while not organic, do cultivate under a shade canopy.
While this has hardly been a comprehensive report on the "shade grown"
coffee phenomenon, hopefully it will serve as a starting point for your own
"shade grown” coffee education.