World Coffee Producers Forum Adds President Clinton
According to Daily Coffee News, the World Coffee Producers Forum in Medellín, Colombia has seen the addition of a new member, former US President Bill Clinton, to join the discussion panel. President Clinton, alongside Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos will join international coffee experts as from July 10 to 12, 2017 to address the already sold-out inaugural event of the World Coffee Producers Forum.
This announcement of the new addition came in on June 29, 2017 by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC). The forum plans to analyze the various challenges faced by the coffee industry the world over while they seek to address them “under the principles of global co-responsibility and cooperation.”
The Forum, which is a collaborative initiative of the various coffee producer associations from Latin America, Asia and Africa, is expected to have more than 900 people attending representing 40 producing countries. Other leaders in the coffee industry like traders, roasters, retailers, governments, NGOs and financial institutions will also be part of the event.
According to the World Coffee Producers Forum,
“The Coffee chain, from the tree to the cup, faces great challenges such as economic sustainability, the consequences of climate change, how to keep the quality and traceability for an every day more and more discerning and informed consumer.”
Challenges to be addressed will include problems faced by producers throughout the world. This includes producer’s income, socio-economic indicators, price volatility, rural development, climate change adaptation, labor, productivity and generational integration.
Statistics from the International Coffee Organization show that coffee growing remains the one of the primary means of income to about 25 million households in coffee growing areas. This represents approximately 125 million people of which majority are small-holder farmers found in developing countries.
Some remarkable coffee groups have sent in speakers and panelist to take part in the forum. The executive Director of Specialty Coffee Association, Ric Rhinehart, the Secretary General of inter-African Coffee Organization, Fred Kawuma, the Global Coffee Platform Executive Director, Annette Pensel as well as the Executive President of the Brazil National Coffee Council Silas Brasileiro.
Other keynote speakers include popular economists, Jeffrey D. Sachs, José Sette, Executive Director of ICO, President Santos and Clinton whose Foundation has been doing a lot of international development work like the revitalization of the Haitian coffee sector. Clinton will join President Santos for the “Economic Sustainability and Rural Development to promote Global Stability and Democracy” panel.
The Forum will take place live online on the World Coffee Producers Forum website in four different languages.
