Pilot project: Creating basis for a Regional Early Warning System Coffee Rust (EWS)

From a socioeconomic point of view, coffee in Central America represents one of the most important items in the agricultural sector. There are around 958,000 hectares of coffee plantations in the region, with an approximate population of 2 million people, if we consider the members of producer families and other actors in the coffee value chain who participate in processing, exportation, roasting, etc. In addition, the entry of foreign currency into the region for coffee exports totals more than 3 billion USD per year, and as such contributes to the economic and social stability of the region.

In Central America and the Caribbean, more than 70% of coffee growers are smallholders. Coffee rust has had serious repercussions on the income level of producer families, such as those suffered in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 campaigns, where losses due to the impact of rust were between 15 and 20 % of the production. The purpose of this project is to develop a Regional Early Warning System (REWS) that will help prevent and mitigate the damage caused by coffee rust.