LONDON – International Coffee Day on 1 October brings together coffee lovers in a global celebration to share their love of coffee and support the millions of farmers whose livelihoods depend on it.
What is this year’s focus of the International Coffee Day?
This year, the International Coffee Organization is working to highlight the plight of coffee farmers, the threat they are facing to their livelihoods and the need to take collective action. While the price of a cup of coffee in your local café has never been higher, the amount that coffee farmers are paid for the beans they produce is at an all time low.
Farmers are not earning enough to provide for themselves and their families and may have to turn away from producing coffee altogether – putting the coffee you drink at risk.
Sign The #Coffeepledge
The future of your cup of coffee is in jeopardy. Due to a dramatic decline in coffee prices – the lowest in 15 years – millions of coffee farmers no longer make enough to live on or to support their families. Independent research shows that growers receive the equivalent of just one cent from a US$3 cup of coffee. Imagine going to work every day and not earning enough to eat and cover basic needs, such as food, healthcare and education. If things don’t change, farmers will be forced to abandon coffee plantations and migrate to urban areas or abroad, just to survive. But there is something you can do to help.
The Ico is asking everyone involved in coffee, from producers, to roasters, governments, banks and the coffee drinking public to sign the #coffeepledge, in support of a living income for coffee farmers.
International Coffee Organization
The International Coffee Organization (ICO) is the main intergovernmental organization for coffee, bringing together exporting and importing governments to tackle the challenges facing the world coffee sector through international cooperation. Its Member governments represent 98% of world coffee production and 67% of world consumption.
Coffee Competition
To celebrate coffee as part of International Coffee Day 2019, the Ico invites to take part in a coffee challenge. Entering the competition is really simple…answer the 10 trivia questions in the ‘coffee challenge’ and complete the two bonus questions “what does coffee mean to you?” and “why do you support a living income for coffee farmers?” Doing so will enter you into a global prize draw for a prize worthy of a true coffee lover.
