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.