Even your morning coffee can be sustainable thanks to USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative, which aims to expand markets for commodities produced using climate-smart practices. Since 2022, the program has invested more than $3 billion in 135 projects, supporting more than 21,000 farms and encompassing more than two million hectares across the United States.
One of the projects benefitting from this innovative program can be found in the mountains of Puerto Rico, where climate-smart practices are transforming coffee production.
The Cooperative League of the United States of America (CLUSA) and its partners are leading efforts to rebuild an industry decimated by hurricanes in 2017.
By promoting climate-smart practices – such as planting shade trees and cover crops – and expanding markets for the resulting high-quality coffee cherries, CLUSA hopes to help more than 2,000 small and underserved farmers like Gustavo Arroyo build more economically and environmentally resilient operations.
Watch how, thanks to climate-smart practices, Gustavo and his fellow farmers are coming together to produce a better cup of coffee for the next generation: