George Clooney on Jose Arroyo’s coffee farm in Adjuntos, Puerto Rico. Credit: Nespresso[/caption]
In a bid to restore high-quality coffee production in regions that have come under threat due to factors like environmental disaster, economic hardship or political conflict, Nespresso is working to provide farmers with training and material that will help them improve coffee yield and quality. The company says it will invest $9.8 million over the next five years to encourage economic development in areas including Colombia, Zimbabwe and Puerto Rico.
The company has launched a program called Reviving Origins - championed by actor George Clooney - that brings together agronomists and organizations including TechnoServe, Fairtrade International, Fair Trade USA and the Rainforest Alliance to support “long-term sustainability and resilience of coffee farming communities.”
Two coffees that have resulted so far from the program are currently available: Tamuka mu Zimbabwe and Esperanza de Colombia. These are “virtually unknown, rare coffees,” the company says. Another, from Puerto Rico, will be available in September.
