Press Release: CSM And Karnataka Growers Federation Announce Partnership To Tackle The Affects Of Climate Change On India's Coffee Industry

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First published in Sanctuary Asia, Vol. 31 No. 9, September 2011

11am 8th September 2011, Sakleshpur, Hasan District, Karnataka

Karnataka coffee growers are in crisis as climate change takes its toll; today two forward thinking and dynamic organisations will come together to mark the beginning of a partnership to address these problems. 

At 11am, in Sakleshpur, Centre for Social Markets (CSM) and Karnataka Growers Federation (KGF) will sign a memorandum of understanding that will begin 3 years of cooperation to take leadership on the issue of climate change in India's coffee sector. 

The complementary strengths of these two organizations will help to build a coherent and strategic programme that will begin to show significant positive impact on the sector, government policy and consumer behaviour.  CSM brings experience of climate change research, education, policy dialogue, mobilization and advocacy on Indian and international stages and KGF brings sectoral expertise, depth of knowledge, local political understanding and a vibrant, highly-motivated producer membership base. 

The partnership will approach issues through a number of channels including undertaking research, establishing a worldwide forum on shade grown coffee to share best practice, strategies and collective power, influencing policy at state and national levels, and popularising sustainable coffee consumption through education and events. 

“Climate change is a great threat to Karnataka's coffee industry, which as a key local industry has an impact on thousands of people.  We are pleased to be responding proactively with an innovative tie-up with KGF so together we can address the need to adapt and educate the consumer.  This will ensure that the coffee industry has a future and there are win-win-wins for people, profit and planet.  CSM's work is very much about inspiring positive social change, we endeavour to shape the commerce of tomorrow.  Respect for the environment is key for our society and it is in the interest of business to respond to the changing nature of what is going on around us"  Viva Kermani, Chief Operating Officer, CSM.

Note to editors

  • India produces approximately 3.5 % of the world's coffee and more than 95% of this coffee is shade-grown under a multi-layered canopy of forest trees and diverse crops. The majority of this coffee is grown in India's southern states in richly dense forest areas.
  • Indian coffee is grown mostly in the Western Ghats, it is considered a biodiversity hot spot.
  • Indian coffee boasts minimum mechanization and is highly labour-intensive; protecting the soil and keeping it virgin.
  • India's shade grown coffee contributes to world-wide sequestration of carbon dioxide. Globally more than 15 million acres of coffee forest sequester approximately 6 billion kg of carbon per year.
  • The Karnataka Growers Federation (KGF) of coffee - do not call themselves coffee growers but planters and emphasize that they grow a variety of plants including trees and most importantly see themselves as key preservers of forest.
  • Karnataka Growers Federation has 21 associations affiliated with it and a membership of more than 50,000. The role of the Federation is to work for the welfare of the coffee growers, specially the small producers who are reeling under the adverse impacts of climate change which is playing havoc with monsoon patterns and weather conditions in India.
  • The Centre for Social Markets (CSM) is an Indian NGO working to promote climate leadership and a pro-active domestic agenda. Full details can be found on the CSM website: www.csmworld.org
  • CSM has led India's first and largest national mobilization effort on climate change called ‘Climate Challenge India' since 2007. The organization is at the forefront of climate advocacy and leadership development.
  • For media inquiries, please contact: Ms Viva Kermani, CSM Bangalore. Tel:+91-98451-89383 or email: Viva@csmworld.org

Dolan Chatterjee
Information Officer
dolan@csmworld.org
CSM - Delhi
Office :+ 91 11 46564558
Cell: +91 7838262192
K-2065 Chittranjan Park ,
III floor,
New Delhi-110019
Bangalore : +91 80 40918235
London : +44 7866 600607

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