Smallholder producers account for a large share of global output, and coffee exports represent a vital source of revenue for many low-income countries
At the opening of the first Fair and Permanent Coffee Forum in Honduras, QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), emphasised the critical need to exchange knowledge and transform the coffee sector into a more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable industry.
Amid numerous complex and interconnected challenges facing the world such as food insecurity, the climate crises, and increasing geopolitical tensions, the coffee sector, with a global production value of approximately $15 billion annually, can play a crucial role in many contexts related to the global transformation of agrifood systems, Qu explained.
Smallholder producers account for a large share of global output, and coffee exports represent a vital source of revenue for many low-income countries. “But the coffee sector faces several challenges that need urgent attention such as loss of biodiversity, pests and diseases and high price volatility, among others,” he warned.
Organised by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Coffee Forum features representatives from almost all 33 member countries of the regional bloc, currently presided over by Honduras. Some of the world’s finest coffee beans are being showcased and opportunities are being provided to establish commercial alliances and explore the development of the coffee sector within the region.
The Director-General commended Honduras and other coffee-producing countries of the region such as Brazil, for securing the endorsement of an International Coffee Day during the recent 76th Session of the FAO Committee on Commodity Problems. The Committee’s recommendation will be considered by the United Nations General Assembly later this year, he informed.