After the Harvest, Fighting Hunger in the Coffeelands

I have just returned from the Annual Exposition of the Specialty Coffee Association of America in Portland, Oregon. There were people involved in specialty coffee and tea from all over the world. I was there with Fair Trade Ambassadors from Catholic Relief Services, the international anti-poverty organization of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops. I was there to tell the story of our efforts at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in justice and outreach, and, in particular, our efforts to promote fair trade. Yes, I learned a lot about the production of coffee and tea and I tasted or drank more coffee and tea in four days than I normal drink in a month. It was all good and I have a new understanding and respect for "baristas," those that make specialty coffee drinks. The new barista championships were held during the exposition and the competitors all wanted you to taste their coffee drink creations.

As a person committed to social justice, what impacted me most was first that in most coffee producing countries, there is significant poverty and hunger. Second, that it takes more water to produce a cup of coffee than wine, beer, tea, and every other beverage, 140 liters of water to create one cup of coffee, and that there is a high risk of water pollution in the production of coffee if not certain protections are done. Yes, I learned that the best coffee in the world comes from volcanic soils, grown organically at higher elevations and in shade grown conditions and that production (getting the right PH in the fermentation process) and various quality control techniques, along with roasting, packaging, and preparation all play into whether you get a good cup of coffee. And of course, there are a lot of individual considerations of the consummer; we all have difference preferences.

The first hurdle for me in chosing a coffee is whether it is certified fair trade and organic. All certifications are not equal. I want to know if the specific persons involved in the coffee are receiving a fair wage, have good working conditions, that those along the production chain are concerned about those coffee workers that were responsible for bringing the coffee. For me, coffee that is marketed through the efforts of CRS meet that criteria, such as Peace Coffee in the Twin Cities.

It is not enough to always ask for a cup of fair trade coffee. I attended several sessions at the Exposition on the impact of coffee production practices on coffee workers. One take away was a DVD "After the Harvest, fighting hunger in the Coffeelands (www.afterthehunger.org)." It's narrated by Susan Sarandon and is available in both English and Spanish.

The DVD is about the "Los Meses Flacos," or the "thin" months, the months after the harvest, when those in "coffeeland" often go hungry. It is a short, but powerful video, sponsored by 11 non-profit organizations, among them Catholic Relief Services, Heifer International, Food for Farmers, and Save the Children. It is available free to churches and non-profits. I encourage you to watch it, to always ask for fair trade coffee and tea, but to go the extra mile, learn about what you can do to fight hunger in the coffeelands.