With a wealth of available information, has anyone really connected the data dots in coffee? The State of Coffee Smallholder Platform is an open access data resource for coffee farmers and other actors along the coffee value chain. The purpose is to remove barriers from equitable information sharing, to help all value chain actors better assess socio-economic and environmental gaps, outcomes and trends. The platform, along with an accompanying report, will paint a more holistic picture of smallholder coffee farmer livelihoods and communities, while doing so in a way thats less cumbersome for those gathering and reporting information.
Stemming from a partnership between the Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC) at the University of Vermont, Lutheran World Relief, Heifer International and Statistics for Sustainable Development, this initial pilot focuses on Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala, with the goal of expansion into a larger effort with broader industry support.
A webinar to discuss the platform and report was held on October 20, 2021. The panelists included:
- Rick Peyser, Senior Manager for Coffee and Cocoa, Lutheran World Relief
- Carlos Barahona, Managing Director at Statistics for Sustainable Development (Stat4SD)
- Janica Anderzn, PhD candidate in Agroecology, Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative, University of Vermont
- Ernesto Mendez, Professor of Agroecology and Co-Director, Agroecology & Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC) at University of Vermont
- Ciara McHugh, Statistician at Statistics for Sustainable Development (Stat4SD)
- Cory Gilman, Strategic Initiatives Manager: Coffee and Commodities at Heifer International