How managed coffee agroforestry can bring about an improved environment

THE EARTH’S atmosphere is made up of a layer of gases; these gases are commonly referred to as air. This air gives protection to Earth’s life as it creates pressure, resulting in liquid water on the surface of the Earth. In addition, it absorbs ultraviolet solar radiation, which would warm the Earth’s surface if it were retained there, and it reduces extreme temperatures between day and night.

In terms of volume, however, carbon dioxide presence in air is only 0.04 per cent, when compared to nitrogen which is at 78.09 per cent, and Oxygen, 20.95 per cent. However, despite its small quantities, an imbalance in its presence can have adverse effects on life on Earth.

Carbon is part of a biogeochemical cycle known as the carbon cycle, which is an exchange between the Earth’s surface and the oceans, soil, and rocks. Plants use solar energy, carbon dioxide, and water in a process known as photosynthesis to produce carbohydrate.

the primary energy source for almost all other organisms, as well as their carbon compounds.

However, as carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere rise, there is more infrared radiation that is retained resulting in an increase of the rate, the Earth’s lower atmosphere rises. This process is known as global warming.

While the total amount of carbon on planet Earth is constant, it easily changes form, thus burning of fossil fuels (which have stored large amounts of carbon below the Earth’s surface converts to Carbon Dioxide). One approach to reducing this situation is terrestrial sequestration, which involves the planting of trees.

Therefore, coffee that is cultivated in an agroforestry system where other plants are integrated into that cultivation system, will serve as a very dynamic carbon sink or terrestrial sequestration basin. This would result in the interception and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide. For a long time, agroforestry systems have been highlyregarded for their potential to capture large quantities of carbon.

In 2011, the Food and Agriculture Organization, reported that there were approximately 10 million hectares of coffee being produced globally. Therefore, properly designed and managed coffee agroforestry systems are potentially significant reservoirs for carbon storage, which, by extension, could improve the soil organic carbon stock.

Coffee cultivation, therefore, must be viewed as part of a broader agroforestry ecosystem, that brings benefits to the family, the community, and the world at large through its contribution in providing a relaxing and wellness effect on humanity and minimising the negative effects of global warming.