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Coffee Producers Learn About Research Results in Costa Rica at Field Day

• CATIE and TRANSFORMA-INNOVA Program partners organized a successful Field Day for coffee growers in the Western Region.

• Event showcased advancements from the KoLFACI Coffee Project for Costa Rica.

   

Over 55 coffee producers from Costa Rica gathered at Finca Santa Anita in Naranjo de Palmares for a Field Day on adaptive capacity and mitigation in coffee farms. The event, organized by the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), facilitated an exchange of knowledge and innovative practices within the country’s coffee sector.

This activity was part of the KoLFACI Project and the TRANSFORMA-INNOVA Program, in collaboration with MAG, MINAE, GIZ, ICAFE, and cooperatives including CoopeIndia RL, CoopePalmares RL, Café de Altura, and Agrícola El Cántaro-Beneficio Santa Anita.

During the event, participants learned about research results and innovative practices, such as: coffee pruning systems – Focused on plant regeneration and pest control to improve productivity –, agroforestry systems – Integrating trees and coffee crops to conserve natural resources, increase biodiversity, and capture carbon –, drip irrigation systems – designed to ensure efficient water use, a critical resource amid climate change –.

Dr. Elías de Melo, coffee specialist at CATIE, and students from the Master’s Program in Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture presented findings from climate change impact surveys conducted with cooperative members. This knowledge exchange fosters practical and tailored solutions to industry challenges. Additionally, Banco Popular de Palmares provided information on financial instruments designed to enhance farm productivity.

TRANSFORMA-INNOVA Program Projection

As part of the TRANSFORMA-INNOVA Program strategy, this type of event aims to encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, enabling coffee producers to enhance their adaptive capacity and contribute to climate change mitigation.

This sustainability-driven approach prioritizes optimizing resources, strengthening farm resilience, reducing the environmental impact of coffee production. For 2025, Field Days will be expanded to other regions of Costa Rica.

The TRANSFORMA-INNOVA Program is coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministries for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Consumer Protection (BMUV) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

The program is implemented by German Development Cooperation (GIZ) in collaboration with the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), Conservation International (CI), Costa Rica - United States Foundation for Cooperation (CRUSA), Fundación Banco Ambiental (FUNBAM) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

KoLFACI Coffee Project Contributions

The Field Day also showcased advancements from the KoLFACI Coffee Project for Costa Rica, an initiative evaluating pruning technologies and identifying promising coffee varieties to tackle climate change in Latin America. With support from Korean Cooperation for Food and Agriculture (KoLFACI) and Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA), the project has positively impacted local producers.

Diana Espinoza (ICAFE) and Chelsia Moraes (CATIE) presented preliminary results on pruning techniques and coffee varieties from two of the four farms under study.

• Knowledge transfer: Farmers are now applying different pruning systems, with some being adopted by neighboring farms, expanding the project’s impact.
• Production improvements: Cyclical pruning enhances crop health, facilitates fertilization, and reduces operational complexity.
• Adaptive strategies: The specific conditions of each farm (topography, altitude, climate, coffee varieties, etc.) highlight the importance of a customized approach rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.

"Pruning is essential to maintain consistent harvests and reduce the biennial bearing effect in coffee, as it renews old tissue each year," explained Chelsia Moraes, CATIE researcher.

For More Information:

Elías de Melo Virginio Filho
CATIE Coordinator for NAMA Coffee
TRANSFORMA-INNOVA Program
E: eliasdem@catie.ac.cr

Chelsia Moraes
Researcher, CATIE
E: cmoraes@catie.ac.cr

Written by:

Esteban Rodríguez Zamora
Communications Officer, CATIE
E: esteban.rodríguez@catie.ac.cr

Alejandro Portilla Navarro
Communications Officer, CATIE
E: alejandro.portilla@catie.ac.cr