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MILAN – Led by the Global Coffee Platform (GCP), a six-month collaborative effort with contributions from across the coffee value chain has produced the GCP RegenCoffee Guidance. Built on existing codes and years of sustainability practice, it offers the common language needed for a consistent, sector-wide transition to regenerative agriculture in coffee production.
The new publication provides the sector with a framework on regenerative agriculture – a holistic, outcome-focused approach to sustainable coffee farming that emphasizes improving and restoring resources and services provided by nature to achieve improved profitability and resilience of coffee farming systems.
Developed through broad participation in GCP’s consultation process, the guidance establishes clear objectives, definitions, principles, outcomes, and examples of farmer-centric practices linked to regenerative outcomes. It is adaptable to local farming contexts – offering benefits for farmers, ecosystems, and ultimately the long-term supply of coffee.
A collective response
GCP created RegenCoffee to unify and scale sector efforts that support farmers facing climate extremes, ecosystem degradation, and ongoing threats to their livelihoods. With long-term coffee production and supply resilience at stake, an urgent and regenerative response is required across the coffee value chain.
Transitioning to regenerative agriculture is essential not only for the planet’s ecosystems and global food security but also for the economic sustainability of farming communities. This shift must happen at scale – requiring a collective response.
“The threat to sustainable coffee production is real, but so is the opportunity. By embracing regenerative agriculture in partnership with coffee farmers and governments, the coffee industry can mitigate these challenges while fostering a pathway to farmer prosperity and supply resilience,” said GCP Executive Director, Annette Pensel.
Access the full technical guide – a first step to regenerative agriculture in coffee – here.
Adaptive for resilience
Farmer-centric by design, the GCP RegenCoffee Guidance takes focuses specifically on the key agricultural resources – soil, water, and biodiversity – to enhance farmer livelihoods and long-term productivity, while building resilience against climate change risks and nature loss. It proposes harmonized definitions of outcomes, indicators, and exemplary practices for the four core impact areas:
- improved soil health,
- better water quality and availability,
- enhanced biodiversity with reduced pesticide risks, and
- resilient livelihoods for farmers.
Importantly, the exemplary practices are not prescriptive or exhaustive but are designed to guide users in adopting regenerative approaches suited to their local context.
For Jeremy Lefroy, Chair of GCP’s Technical Committee, the new guidance reflects the value of broad collaboration and offers practical support for all stakeholders on their regenerative journey.
“We greatly appreciate the valuable contributions from around the coffee world, which enabled us to develop a common language grounded in existing frameworks, farmers’ personal experiences, and years of work on regenerative agriculture at global and local levels,” said Lefroy.
“The outcome is guidance for stakeholders across the sector so that they can continue, or begin, the necessary steps for a transition to a regenerative coffee sector – one that is consistent, informed and aligned,” he added.
Building on this alignment, GCP and its partners will continue to drive local and global efforts to unlock transition financing and collaboration at scale.
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