Coffee agro-forestry systems and forest restoration contribute to climate change adaptation in Chiriquí

• In this region of Panama, these practices have also contributed to soil conservation and recovery in areas important for biodiversity.

May 4, 2022. The Renacimiento district, in the province of Chiriquí, Panama, is an area strongly threatened by the effects of climate change, which is why the project Forest restoration and establishment of agro-forestry systems as measures to adapt to climate change was carried out there, which culminated its work at the end of April, leaving 50 hectares of coffee established under measures to adapt to climate change such as the use of rust-tolerant varieties, association with service trees, organic fertilization and soil conservation, among others.

The project was financed by the Adaptation Fund, with Fundación NATURA and the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) as implementers, and was executed through a partnership between CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) and the Renacimiento Producers Association (APRE), benefiting more than 300 coffee-producing families directly and indirectly.

Elvin Britton, CATIE representative in Panama, explained that the project helped to strengthen the country's coffee industry by improving capacities and expanding the wealth of the coffee germplasm bank of the Institute for Agricultural Innovation of Panama (IDIAP, its Spanish acronym); in addition, six F1 hybrids generated at CATIE were introduced, with good production and cup quality characteristics, some of them with tolerance to coffee rust.

Rosa Montañez, executive director of Fundación Natura, highlighted the satisfaction with the different initiatives and achievements attained through the project. "We have been working for several years with strategic partners with experience in the subject, such as CATIE and APRE. Their work in agro-forestry and other adaptation measures had good community participation and contributed to the conservation and recovery of soils in areas important for biodiversity and the management of biological corridors. People have learned what adaptation to climate change is and how to carry it out," said Montañez.

Izeth Serrano, a beneficiary member from Altamira in Río Sereno, described the experience of being part of the project as rewarding. "As women, it allowed us to empower ourselves, give the necessary care to the coffee plants and receive technical advice. I have Obata and Tupi plants that already have flowers and I hope to harvest my first 10 cans of coffee this year," said Serrano.

Agustín Ortiz, another beneficiary partner with a farm in San Antonio Arriba, in Renacimiento, thanked the project's funders and those who implemented it, as he considers it a great learning experience, the results of which are already being seen.

The project's closing event was held on April 27, with the participation of more than 80 people, including producers, local authorities, government institutions, private enterprise and the donor.

Britton mentioned that the producers have learned to properly manage the main crop in the area, which is coffee, including soil conservation, fertilization, the use of trees in the coffee plantation and above all the integration of the family in the coffee activity. "There is still a long way to go, but there is a lot of enthusiasm; we have to massify the coffee rust tolerant varieties, learn to manage the F1 hybrids from CATIE and integrate other actors, not only the producing families," said Britton.. “Queda un camino largo aún, pero hay mucho entusiasmo; tenemos que masificar las variedades tolerantes a roya del café, aprender a manejar los híbridos F1 del CATIE e integrar a otros actores, no solo a las familias productoras”, manifestó Britton.

Finally, Jorge Pitty, president of APRE, added that the association is extremely grateful for the active participation of the coffee producing families in the area, since important environmental benefits were achieved for this border region of Panama.