Uncover how BioCubaCafè is reworking Cuba’s espresso trade by means of sustainability, blockchain know-how, and farmer empowerment.

BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Photographs courtesy of Michele Curto

Cuba’s espresso trade has a wealthy historical past, deeply intertwined with the nation’s tradition and economic system. Nonetheless, many years of financial hardship, coupled with the U.S. embargo and declining manufacturing, have considerably impacted the sector. 

As soon as a significant exporter, Cuba now struggles to satisfy each home and worldwide demand for its espresso. The BioCubaCafè challenge, a collaboration between the Lavazza Basis, the Cuban Grupo Agroforestal (GAF), and the Italian Company for Financial and Cultural Interchange with Cuba (AICEC), goals to revive Cuban espresso to its former glory whereas guaranteeing environmental and social sustainability. 

We sat down with Michele Curto, the president of BioCubaCafè, to debate the challenge’s imaginative and prescient, challenges, and influence on Cuba’s espresso sector.

The Imaginative and prescient Behind BioCubaCafè

Michele describes the initiative as greater than only a espresso challenge. “Earlier than being a challenge, BioCubaCafè was a imaginative and prescient,” Michele says. This imaginative and prescient encompassed sustainability, financial empowerment, and the reestablishment of Cuba as a number one espresso producer. Immediately, the initiative leverages Cuba’s distinctive agroforestry system, which has seen the nation’s forest cowl develop from 18% in 1959 to 42% by 2022, making it one of many world’s most important reforestation efforts.

A key part of the challenge is its dedication to reinvesting income. “The Lavazza Basis has dedicated to not withdrawing income, guaranteeing that they’re repeatedly reinvested within the native espresso sector,” Michele says. This mannequin ensures that BioCubaCafè just isn’t solely commercially viable but in addition a drive for optimistic change inside Cuba’s espresso communities.

Innovation and Sustainable Practices

In contrast to at typical espresso farms, Cuban espresso is cultivated inside a forest-based system, fostering biodiversity and eliminating the necessity for chemical fertilizers or pesticides. “Cuban espresso isn’t just natural; it’s free from pesticides and contaminants, rising inside its pure forest setting,” Michele says.

One of many challenge’s major objectives is to reinforce traceability and high quality management. “We’ve got developed a complicated blockchain system that information 96 key efficiency indicators (KPIs), from soil moisture and temperature to socioeconomic knowledge on producers,” Michele continues. This method ensures transparency within the provide chain, serving to customers join with the origin of their espresso whereas additionally supporting native farmers.

Empowering Espresso Producers

BioCubaCafè works with almost 5,000 espresso producers throughout 15 municipalities. Many of those farmers beforehand relied on casual markets, however the challenge has incentivized them to reintegrate into the formal espresso economic system.

“We doubled the value of high quality espresso cherries, linking manufacturing to truthful export markets,” Michele says. Moreover, the challenge reinvests a portion of international forex earnings into important items for farming communities, providing them at backed costs to mitigate the results of inflation.

The initiative additionally emphasizes knowledge-sharing amongst farmers. “We arrange conferences the place lots of of producers trade finest practices, strengthening the native espresso sector from inside,” Michele provides. By simplifying the provision chain and eliminating extreme bureaucratic hurdles, BioCubaCafè ensures that extra worth reaches the farmers themselves.

The Street Forward for Cuban Espresso

Regardless of important progress, challenges stay. Balancing home demand with the necessity to export high-quality espresso is a fragile job. Nonetheless, Michele sees this as a chance. “By selling Cuban espresso internationally whereas guaranteeing provide for native customers, we improve each Cuba’s international fame and its inside market,” he says.

Wanting forward, BioCubaCafè goals to plant 4,000 acres of robusta and 1,500 acres of arabica over the following 4 years. “If we succeed, we received’t simply be exporting espresso—we might be reestablishing Cuba as a key participant within the international espresso panorama,” says Michele. The challenge additionally plans to extend native espresso roasting capabilities, permitting Cuba to export not simply uncooked beans however completed merchandise.

For these enthusiastic about experiencing Cuban espresso firsthand, Michele extends an invite. “Go to us at ExpoCaribe in Santiago de Cuba or the Pageant Chocolate con Café in Guantánamo. These occasions showcase not simply our espresso, however Cuba’s deep connection between tradition, music, and low.”

BioCubaCafè represents a daring step ahead for Cuba’s espresso trade. By mixing custom with innovation, and sustainability with financial development, the challenge is setting a precedent for the way espresso will be cultivated in concord with nature and society. As Michele places it, “We aren’t simply planting espresso; we’re planting the way forward for Cuban espresso tradition.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior on-line correspondent for Barista Journal and a contract copywriter and editor with a major give attention to the espresso area of interest. She has additionally been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, offering content material to assist educate folks about baristas and their work.

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