THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF SHADE COFFEE CERTIFICATION

There are four broad elements of shade certification that the industry agrees upon:

> Certification should not increase the financial burden on farmers.
> Producers who go through the certification process should get a premium price.
> Certification criteria should be developed with input from farmers.
> Certification should be based on valid scientific data to ensure that shade increase biodiversity.

Because of the lack of coordination surrounding shade coffee, most of these points have not been implemented, and they are actually the source of many farmers' complaints about shade certification. For example, many producers are interested in being certified, but they cannot afford it. "When we wanted to get certified, the price of coffee had already gone down, so it wasn't very attractive for the producers," says Lorena Calvo, a conservation biologist studying coffee farms in Guatemala. "[Farmers] have to pay for the certification, make the changes on the farm and then look for a market for their coffee."

Farmers also often feel that if they cannot get a higher price for shade-certified coffee, the time and expense involved in the certification process cannot be justified. Asked what the benefits of certification are for farmers, Francisco Mena answers, "We don't know yet. I expect someone [might be willing to pay an] additional premium. We're all making and effort for the good of the whole, but we need motivation."

"A lot of certified coffee ends up in the market at conventional prices," acknowledges Christopher Bacon, a doctoral student in environmental studies at the University of California-Santa Cruz who works with coffee cooperatives in Nicaragua. "We've been discussing with growers their decision to become certified, because there is a risk that they won't realize price premium. They need to consider other positive impacts of shade production, such as reducing costs or improving working conditions."

For many coffee producers, there simply isn't enough demand for shade coffee. "Our idea is to start certifying just a few producers, because the market seems small," says Nicolas Eberhart, marketing coordinator for the PROCAP coffee cooperative in Ecuador." Only one importer has inquired up to now. [We will] begin with the producers who already have organic certification. The only problem is the shade seals—there is so much confusion about them in Ecuador."

In fact, according to the Sustainable Coffee Survey, of the 6.6 million pounds of coffee that were shade-certified globally in 200-2001, only 2.1 million pounds were sold as such. Importers agree that shade certification doesn't often bring farmers premium prices, but it may help their coffee sell more quickly. All other factors being equal, roasters are more likely to purchase certified-shade coffee over an equivalent uncertified coffee.

IS IT REALLY CERTIFIED IN THE SHADE

To Certify or Not to Certify?
Shade-grown coffee has enjoyed the spotlight only sporadically in certain parts of the United States. One of the main reasons is that shade lacks a worldwide champion like the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) or Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), both of which have created widely accepted and enforceable definitions and standards for their certification systems.

Some critics contend that the term "shade" itself is a misnomer that prevents its widespread acceptance and that the concept should be re-branded as "habitat-friendly" or "ecosystem-friendly" to convey the benefits it provides. Others take the opposite tack, arguing that the shade concept should refer to the problems it addresses, such as deforestation.

The U.S. has two separate shade certification systems intended to ensure that Latin American shade-grown coffee is produced under a set of scientific guidelines. One is Eco-OK program development by the Rainforest Alliance and a network of Latin America environmental organizations, and the other is the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) criteria. Both systems' standards require a minimum of 40 percent shade coverage, as well as specified tree heights and numbers of non-deciduous native tree species.

Eco-OK is a stand-alone certification that covers many aspects of farming. It requires a minimum of 12 species of native trees and at least 70 trees per hectare (one hectare equals 2.47 acres). It also includes regulations regarding agrochemical use, water resource, soil and waste management, hunting, working conditions, and community relations. Within the next year, Eco-OK auditors will begin to certify for organic and fair-trade criteria as well.

SMBC guidelines focus exclusively on shade. In September 2000, SMBC began a series of workshops to standardize the definition of shade and to align itself with organic certifiers so that a single technician can inspect for shade and organic standards in one visit. Currently, all SMBC-certified farms must also have organic certification.

Francisco Mena, a general manager of the Lomas Al Rio coffee farm, recently went through this new certification process, making Lomas Al Rio the first SMBC-certified farm in Costa Rica. He explains that an organic inspector visiting his farm had completed one of the SMBC workshops, so during his inspection for organic, he recommended that he also inspect for SMBC standards. Mena approved his idea, and the total cost for certification was around $320.

The trend toward integrating certification systems is occurring in other areas as well. For example, FLO criteria for bananas already includes some environmental standards. And the Eco-OK's Sustainable Agriculture Network is working with FLO, IFOAM, and Social Accountability International to develop a "Social Accountability in Agriculture" program. These initiatives are important, because many farmers find the preparation, transition to compliance, and certification difficult and costly. For example, farmers seeking Eco-OK certification must pay for the technicians to perform site visits and evaluations ($7.50 per hectare), and they must cover the technicians' travel-related expenses ($100-$150 per day plus travel expenses, depending on where the nearest inspector is located). Achieving and maintaining more than one certification is simply beyond the economic capacity of most producers.

For this reason, a "super seal" concept that combines organic, shade and fair-trade criteria is gaining support among importers, roasters, and retailers. In the Sustainable Coffee Survey, nearly two-thirds of the specialty coffee industry supported a "super seal" as a simpler way of communicating sustainability in the marketplace.

Still, there are many other areas of confusion and contention regarding shade in the coffee industry. In the Sustainable Coffee Survey report, nearly 45 percent of the companies claiming to carry shade-grown coffee did not even know who their shade-certifying agency was. Many importers, roasters and retailers add to the confusion by selling "verified shade" coffee, which comes from plantations that have not been certified by Eco-OK or SMBC but have been visited by someone—often an importer—who, without scientific guidelines, checks to make sure shade trees are present on the farms. Most people seem to agree that certified-shade is the clearest way to convey the concept in the marketplace and provide a transparent method of ensuring validity of shade claims.

WHAT IS SHADE GROWN COFFEE ????

WELL SINCE YOU ASKED........

Coffee (Coffea sp.) is a small understory tree or shrub, and has traditionally been grown amongst forest trees, in the shade. Various studies indicate that arabica coffee has the highest yields under 35 to 65% shade. In addition, growing coffee under shade also discourages weed growth, may reduce pathogen infection, protect the crop from frost, and helps to increase numbers of pollinators which results in better fruit set. Coffee grown in the shade takes long to ripen and is often thought to taste better because the long ripening times contribute to complex flavors. 
However, in order to produce faster, higher yields and prevent the spread of coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix), many coffee plantations began to grow coffee under sunnier conditions. The fewer shade trees that are in coffee plantations, the less biodiversity there is in those plantations.
This loss of biodiversity, especially in birds, has led conscientious consumers to look for "shade grown" coffee.  However, coffee is grown under a continuum of conditions, from rustic or traditional, to full sun, and these "shades of shade" are not all equal when it comes to the health of ecosystems. Unfortunately, there is no official definition of "shade grown," so coffee so labeled may be grown under what are technically shady conditions, but which are little better full  sun.
It is important to understand the various levels of growing coffee under shade.  This lists the five most typical categories, from the most desirable, traditional growing method, to the least diverse, most modern and technified method.

• Rustic. Often used on small family farms. Coffee is grown in the existing forest with little alteration of native vegetation. Tree species are diverse, with an average of 25 species. Shade strata (layers of vegetation) three or more. Shade cover = 70-100%.
• Traditional polyculture. Coffee is grown under a combination of native forest trees and planted tree and plant species, including fruit and vegetables both for the farmer and for market, fuel wood, medicinal plants, etc. Common tree species under which coffee is frequently grown include Inga, Grevillea, Acacia, Erythrina, and Gliricidia. Shade cover = 60-90%.
• Commercial polyculture. More trees removed in order to increase the number of coffee plants, and shade is provided mostly by planted timber and fruit trees. Canopy trees are regularly pruned, and epiphytes are typically removed. More often ivolves use of fertilizers and pesticides due to the lack of vegetative cover which helps prevent loss of soil nutrients, etc. Typically only two vegetation layers, the canopy, and the coffee. Shade cover 30-60%.
  
• Shaded monoculture. Dense plantings of coffee under an overstory of only one or two tree species (usually Inga), which are heavily pruned. Epiphytes are removed. Shade cover = 10-30%.
• Full sun. Lacks a tree canopy, or has a few isolated trees. No shade cover.

And here is a diagram from a paper by Patricia Moguel and Victor Toledo [1] to help you visualize the categories:

As you can see, coffee grown in a shaded monoculture could technically be labeled "shade grown," but it would probably not be what the consumer, concerned about biodiversity, is looking for.
Several organizations are working to certify shade grown coffees that are grown under conditions that preserve biodiversity, including the Rainforest Alliance and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.