Socio-Environmental Certifications: Risks and Opportunities for Small-Scale Coffee Farmers in Central America

Abstract

The promotion and compliance with socio-environmental certifications inthe coffee sector worldwide is increasing. On one hand, consumers inindustrialized countries have become more aware and educated onsocial-environmental concerns. There has been an increase in the number ofcompanies and corporations promoting clean production, enforcing the compliancewith social and environmental regulations among coffee producers. Thesecertifications have an impact on the price of coffee, usually favouringsmall-scale producers. Nevertheless, many coffee producers in developingcountries consider the process of complying with stan­dards and acquiringcertifications as complex and all the requisites and costs involved seem tooconfusing. This paper focuses on identifying the main causes that limit theparticipation of coffee producers in Central America in the process ofcomplying with certifi­cations, particularly Organic, Fair­trade, UtzCERTIFIED, Rainforest Alliance and Starbucks C.A.F.E. Practices. Coffee farmerspartly lack information, money and external support to be able to accomplishwith the upcoming requirements of a certifica­tion. Potential benefits forcerti­fied small-scale coffee producers are not only better income for beingpaid premium prices for high quality, but also more stability by ensuring thesale of the yield.DOI: 10.11634/216817831201162URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11634/216817831201162