woman coffee farmer

Gender Research in Coffee

ByJosh Shafley

The following is a summary and key points of the article “Breaking New Ground in Gender Research in Coffee” which discusses groundbreaking research efforts to quantify and recognize the contributions of women in the coffee industry.

Here are some key points:

1. Women in Coffee Production

  • Women perform up to 70% of the labor in coffee production, yet their contributions often go unrecognized.
  • There is a significant lack of data on women’s involvement in the coffee supply chain, even in major producing countries like Brazil.

2. The IWCA

  • Formed by the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) to address the data gap on female coffee producers.
  • It’s led by Ruth Ann Church, who joined the IWCA Board of Directors in 2014.
  • They aim to collect data on the number of female producers in each coffee-producing country.

3. Brazil Research Project

woman farming coffee
  • In collaboration between IWCA Brazil chapter and Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation).
  • The project focuses on gathering data about women in Brazil’s coffee industry through questionnaires and field research.
  • The project is divided into two phases, with the first phase collecting nearly 1,000 questionnaires.

4. Results from Six Countries

  • The article presents preliminary data on female coffee producers in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Rwanda, and Burundi.
  • The percentages of female producers range from 19-34% in these countries.

5. Challenges and Future Work

  • Funding for travel is a major obstacle for researchers collecting data in coffee-producing regions.
  • The IWCA Research Alliance emphasizes the importance of using local in-country volunteers for data collection.

6. Significance of The Research

  • It aims to create recognition for women’s roles in coffee production.
  • It seeks to develop a more accurate understanding of the industry to ensure effective investments and advancements.

This summary is based on the article “Breaking New Ground in Gender Research in Coffee” by Ruth Ann Church and Josiane Cotrim Macieira, published on The First Pull blog. For the full article and more detailed information, please visit the original article.

Avatar for Josh Shafley

Josh Shafley is a registered nurse with 9 years of coffee drinking experience ;) He has a background as an EMT, college football player, runner, and weightlifter. He holds a bachelors degree in Health Science from Wheaton College and a masters degree in nursing from Elmhurst University. Josh is passionate about how coffee can bring people together for relationship and interesting conversations and enjoys helping readers by sharing with them everything he learns about it.

Similar Posts

Gender Equity in Coffee

Gender Equity in Coffee

International Women’s Day is a moment to highlight the significant contributions of women in the coffee industry and push for gender equality throughout the supply chain. Despite women performing 70% of the labor on coffee farms globally, they own only 15% of the land and traded beans, as they face economic and cultural barriers that limit…

Five Big Coffee Trends

Five Big Coffee Trends

The coffee industry is experiencing several significant trends that are shaping its future. Here are five key developments to watch: 1. Quality While overall coffee consumption patterns remain relatively stable year-to-year, there’s a noticeable shift towards higher quality products. Consumers are increasingly seeking out gourmet coffees, single-origin beans, and premium espresso-based beverages. 2. The Millennial…