Coffee may be grown in either a shaded or full-sun environment. Approximately 25% of the world’s coffee land is grown in varied shade, 35% in partial shade, and 40% in full sun. Over the last half-century, the overall amount of coffee land under full-sun conditions has expanded considerably as producers attempted to enhance yields by converting shade-grown fields or getting new, full-sun plantations.

Many coffee tree kinds, especially Arabica plants, which produce the majority of the world’s speciality coffee, prefer shady conditions. As a result, many coffee producers continue to cultivate their trees in natural or managed forest environments, a process known as “agroforestry.”

Coffee grown on agroforestry farms is known locally as “shade-grown coffee.” However, not all shade-grown coffee tastes equal. Shade coverage in agroforestry systems varies greatly, from densely shaded systems resembling mature forests to relatively lightly shaded systems with only one or two shade tree kinds.

Why is agroforestry coffee important?

Shade-grown coffee can benefit farmers and the environment.

Potential Livelihood Benefits

• Provide farmers with additional sources of income, in the form of fruit or wood.

• Reduce farmers’ production costs, as shade-grown coffee generally requires fewer chemical inputs, such as pesticides.

• Increase farmers’ productivity over the long term, as coffee trees grown under shade have a longer lifespan than those grown under very lightly shaded or full-sun conditions.

• Raise coffee quality, which can lead to higher prices for farmers, as shaded coffee trees generally produce slow-maturing, larger beans with a better flavor profile.• Provide farmers with access to specialty markets that reward shade-grown coffee with premium prices.

Potential Environmental Benefits

• Enrich the soil and strengthen root systems, preventing soil degradation and erosion.• Capture and retain rainfall, lowering temperatures for the heat-sensitive coffee trees.

• Attract birds, ants, and other organisms that serve as a natural pest control against coffee pests.

• Remove carbon from the atmosphere, helping with climate change mitigation.

• (Assuming a high degree of shade) Serve as important habitat for wildlife, such as migratory birds. This is why shade-grown coffee is often also called “bird-friendly” coffee.

In general, the greater the density of the shadow, the better the environmental advantages. However, at high degrees of shading, there may be trade-offs between environmental and economic advantages. While shade-grown trees have longer lifespans and are more resistant to pests and illnesses, they yield fewer coffee beans in any one year than full-sun plants. This implies that shade-grown coffee producers may have less coffee to sell. However, coffee produced in full sun may be of inferior quality than coffee cultivated in shade, in which case it will not command a premium price from customers. When managing their farms, coffee producers must balance these trade-offs.