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EQUAL ORIGINS & EQUITABLE OUTCOMES Issue Brief from The Partnership for Gender Equity

EXPANDING OUR VIEW OF COFFEE FARMING Coffee is the product of many hands, all playing an essential role in coaxing coffee cherries into the carefully roasted beans and daily ritual enjoyed by coffee lovers around the world. Recognizing and supporting all of the people involved in this transformation is good for farmers and good for the coffee business. In this first Equal Origins Issue Brief, we highlight data related to industry sustainability issues in coffee farming communities. The data underscores the importance of taking an expanded view of coffee production. In the face of growing global demand, climate challenges, and migration, we believe this is critical to ensuring the longterm success of the sector. Put simply, strengthening the role of all members of the coffee farming family and community is essential to the health of our industry. Our goal with these briefs is to offer valuable insights that will support businesses to enrich their own understanding and be able to build greater buy-in for gender equity inside their organizations and among their primary stakeholders. As in this brief, each subsequent edition will highlight the gender dimensions of coffee production in key coffee producing countries – this issue the spotlight is on Ethiopia. We will also spotlight what companies are doing within their sphere of influence to invest and take action.

Volume 1 / Issue 1 / April 2018

INVESTING IN GENDER EQUITY PAYS OFF Coffee, like other commodities, faces complex challenges that threaten the sustainability of the sector and the livelihoods of stakeholders along the supply chain. Global demand is growing by 2.5% per year according to the ICO and continuing to conduct business as usual means that coffee supply will not be able to keep up. Coordinated action is required between industry, governments, and development actors to change the status quo for the estimated 25 million smallholder coffee producers. The good news is that companies are already taking commendable steps to align business goals with efforts to address climate change and reduce poverty. Many have made commitments to support the 2016 Sustainable Development Goals. Even with this good work, a flourishing coffee sector requires additional focused effort to address gender inequalities throughout the supply chain. A wealth of agricultural research demonstrates that failing to do so hinders corporate and social progress. McKinsey estimates the economic cost of gender inequality to global GDP to be US$12 trillion.

Equal Origins exists to encourage companies across the sector to invest in gender and generational equity and equality in coffee farming communities. These Issue Briefs are our gift to you for your support of our efforts. We’re happy you’re on this journey with us. And look forward to hearing from you about how taking an expanded view of coffee farming brings new perspectives and success to your business. Kimberly Easson Founder and Strategic Director The CQI Partnership for Gender Equity (PGE)

In the coffee sector, many inequalities stem from a widely held assumption that coffee is a man’s crop. Women are seldom considered primary producers despite significant contributions to working on and managing family farms. Women’s 1


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