By the time a hot cup of coffee is being poured into a cup, it has taken an average of three years from the time the coffee plant seed sprouted, potentially posing a number of environmental and social challenges along the way. It may also likely be a variety from a Latin American country, some of which are among the largest coffee producers in the world, and has an increasing likelihood to carry a sustainability certification. This type of information is now available in a series of crop profiles on coffee, sugar, and cocoa, published by the eco.business Fund (the Fund) to encourage discussions and investments in sustainable agriculture.
By supporting sustainable businesses and consumption practices in Latin America, the eco.business Fund seeks to promote business practices that protect biodiversity, encourage the sustainable use of natural resources, and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. One of the Fund’s focal areas is supporting the uptake of sustainable agricultural practices.
The infographics introduce the trends, issues, risks and management concepts, useful to those seeking to understand sustainability aspects and related considerations of the various crops. The compilation of key figures and facts on different parts of the value chain also highlights the vast business opportunities. These useful infographics can therefore help investors, financial institutions, companies, and producers better understand the growing market for products with sustainability certifications.
eco.business Fund Chairman Dr. Jens Mackensen said: “We work to mobilize local financial institutions to collaborate with sustainable producers and businesses. By synthesizing this information, we can help financial institutions in identifying and analyzing the opportunities and play a role in the development of an investment ecosystem which is conducive for green growth, and ultimately, climate protection.”
The following crop profiles are now available for download:
Sustainable coffee
Sustainable sugar
Sustainable cocoa
About the eco.business Fund
The eco.business Fund is spearheading the promotion of business practices that contribute to the preservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of natural resources, and climate change mitigation and adaptation through private enterprises. By providing financing for business practices that conserve nature and foster biodiversity, the fund seeks investments with both financial and environmental returns. The fund mainly provides loans to qualified local financial institutions that lend the money to eligible borrowers, which include holders of recognized certifications or those making improvements in line with conservation and biodiversity goals. The fund supports sustainable operations in the sectors of agriculture, fishery, forestry and eco-tourism.
The eco.business Fund leverages contributions from donors, multilateral organizations, and development finance institutions with funding from private investors to maximize outreach and impact. Seed capital was provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, with German Development Bank KfW acting as main sponsor. Finance in Motion, a leading impact investing company, is also an investor.
Operating hand-in-hand with the eco.business Fund, the eco.business Development Facility provides high-impact technical assistance at the sector level to local lending institutions and final borrowers.
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