Climate change and poverty at the center of
the side event promoted by illycaffè and the Fondazione
Ernesto Illy on the 25th anniversary of the Università
del Caffè
TRIESTE, Italy, June 28,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The collateral event "The
Role of Education and Professional Training: The Case Study
of the Coffee Supply Chain to Promote Sustainable Development,"
organized by illycaffè and the Fondazione Ernesto
Illy, marked the opening of the G7 Ministerial Meeting on
Education in Trieste, chaired by Minister Giuseppe
Valditara.
The meeting focused on the value of training as a tool to combat
climate change and poverty. Attendees included Giuseppe
Valditara (Minister of Education and Merit), Gerardo Patacconi (Head of Operations of the
International Coffee Organization), Tidiane Ouattara (Representative of the
African Union), Andrea Illy
(President of illycaffè), Andrea De
Marco (Industrial Development Expert & Project
Manager of UNIDO), Stefania
Giannini (Deputy Director General of UNESCO for
Education), Laura Frigenti
(CEO of the Global Partnership for Education), and Fernanda Maria Roche Soares dos Santos
(Counselor of the Embassy of Brazil).
The coffee market, already highly volatile and characterized by
inadequate access to credit and low investment propensity, is now
facing the compounded effects of climate change and a shortage of
young labor. These factors make coffee communities extremely
vulnerable. Education and training are essential to ensure the
economic, social, and environmental sustainability of coffee
producers.
"Education is a key factor in achieving the objectives of
resilience, environmental sustainability, added value, circularity
of the value chain, and support for the families of coffee
producers, as indicated in the declaration of the G7 summit in
Puglia," said Andrea Illy
during the event. "Climate change, which puts more than 50
percent of arable land at risk, necessitates a significant
improvement in agronomic practices and, consequently, in the skills
and capabilities of farmers. Furthermore, education is known to be
the first and most effective action to combat poverty, a major
issue affecting coffee growing. Much of the knowledge on coffee
supply chains is produced in Trieste, and for over 25 years, illy,
through the Università del Caffè (University of Coffee), has been
engaged in technology transfer in 23 countries, connecting
producers and consumers. We are particularly honored to represent a
case study to the world's leading institutions."
The Università del Caffè, illy's training center, which
celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, creates value through
training activities and awareness-raising actions aimed at
fostering a sustainable coffee supply chain that respects the
environment and biodiversity, promotes employability and
entrepreneurship among young people, and strengthens dialogue and
cooperation between various actors in the coffee sector.
While training is the underlying theme of every activity and
forms the basis for the development of coffee communities, the
Fondazione Ernesto Illy addresses specific local needs with
projects aimed at mitigating and preventing social problems and
promoting the well-being of local communities. Many countries, for
example, lack effective social infrastructure, and minors are
sometimes not sufficiently protected. The Fondazione Ernesto Illy
supports the construction of schools, educational services, and
healthcare for the children of coffee workers.
"About a third of the over 4.9 billion people who live in
coffee-producing countries are aged between 15 and 34 years,"
observed Gerardo
Patacconi. "Only by filling the gaps in technical and
vocational education and training (TVET) in these countries,
investing in young people, and reducing gender gaps and gaps in
access to knowledge and technologies, will it be possible to
effectively address the threats that characterize the global coffee
supply chain: climate change and low farmers' income. As the ICO,
the World Coffee Organization, with 75 member governments from
coffee-producing and consuming countries, and integrating the
industry through a task force, we are convinced that only by
promoting good practices through training and investments in
education via public-private models can we overcome the challenge
of sustainability in the sector, ensure the well-being of producers
and all operators in the supply chain, and respond to the demands
of the millions of us who consume around 3 billion cups of coffee
every day."
The recognition in the final declaration of the G7 in Puglia of
support for a public-private initiative to promote policies and
allocate resources aimed at increasing the value of the circular
coffee economy and supporting small producers encourages the
industry to continue its commitment alongside institutions,
positioning itself as a key actor in the transfer of know-how and
technical assistance to producing countries, essential pillars for
creating a sustainable economy.
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SOURCE illycaffè