planting

1. A total of 25 million farming families in 60 countries depend on coffee for their livelihood. About 70 percent of the world’s coffee is grown by 7 million farmers on farms on than less than 5 hectares (12 acres) of land. Much of the work is still done by hand. Because coffee is raised on mountain sides and in forest it can not be planted and harvested with large machines like corn or wheat, which are grow on flat areas and are harvested with the entire plant being cut down. Coffee bushes take years to reach peak production, which means that growers need to make an initial investment and wait.

2. These days much of the world’s coffee comes from high-yield robusta plants that grow well in sunny conditions. This has had a harmful effect on the environment by depriving wildlife of trees to live in. In many places subsistence farmers are being driven off their land and (more…)