Just over 20 years ago Nestlé China started with a program to support a sustainable coffee development in Yunnan province. Nestlé set up a Buying Station where farmers can directly deliver their coffee, without the need of middlemen, and started giving free training and technical assistance. All our services are available for all coffee growers, but with a special focus on the small-scale farmers. The combination of increasing the knowledge of farmers on coffee cultivation and farm management, with providing a reliable market has proven to be very successful, especially for villages and small-scale farmers. Last week Nestlé China's efforts have been awarded with a World Business and Development Award, which was presented at a ceremony on the Eve of Rio+20 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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For most it is hard to imagine being denied access to their daily dose of coffee, though it has happened more than once in the past. The first time it happened in Mecca in the 16th century and lasted not less than 30 long years. Maybe not all too surprising, those coffee-less years were filled with debates between scholars and jurists, eventually won by those in favour of coffee. In the 17th century Charles the II tried to enforce the same ban in Europe, but never succeeded. Frederik the Great however did manage to ban coffee in Germany in that same century, out of concern too much money was flowing out of the country in exchange for this new popular beverage. And though coffee is now widely accepted and still an increasingly popular beverage, there remain a number of religions prohibiting its consumption.
In China no less than 56 ethnic minorities have been identified, and the majority of these live in Yunnan province. Even today these minorities are characterised by their own languages, customs and beliefs. Being located in Yunnan, we are also working with these minorities both those living in the proximity of Pu'er, as those in the more remote and mountainous areas. |
AuthorI wouldn't be surprised to find out I was born with a passion for coffee. For the life of me, I can't remember not loving coffee. And by that, I don't just mean drinking it, but everything involved from its cultivation over the processing to the final product that is my loyal companion throughout the day. Archives
February 2014
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