The New England Coffee Sustainability Program promotes farm renovation by supporting the replacement of old tree stock with new coffee tree seedlings that are resistant to climate change issues affecting the coffee industry. Our program provides subsidized seedlings to farmers in need. The subsidized seedlings are designed to encourage more farm renovation and increase long-term productivity.
Coffee “Rust” is a disease caused by climate change and is the main driver of crop failure. The solution is to establish nurseries to grow coffee seedlings that are disease and drought resistant, while subsidizing the cost for farmers.
Our program focuses on Nicaragua and Honduras. These two coffee growing countries are at the highest risk of crop loss due to environmental changes. The Sustainable Cup Project establishes seedling nurseries in these two countries, currently helping 500 farmers in Nicaragua and 95 farmers in Honduras.
The replanted hybrid coffee trees are higher yielding, more disease and drought resistant, and reduces the reliance on chemicals, resulting in better health for the farmers and environment.