And these birds are often so kind as to provide natural insect control, which holds real value for the farmer.ДЄccording to a 2013 study, in Costa Rica вЂњthese pest-control services prevented US$75вЂ“US$310 ha-year in damage, a benefit per plantation on par with the average annual income of a Costa Rican citizen.вЂќ The shade trees also provide much needed habitat for lots of birds. Can Shade Trees Protect Against Coffee Pests? The farm in question was also home to more than 20 species of butterflies as well as 10 different species of frogs, 6 species of bats and 24 species of mammals.

Then there are the insects: a survey in Southern Mexico found that just one shade tree (a beautiful Erythrina tree) contained hundreds of species of beetles, ants, and bees. In Central America, while itвЂ™s rare to see big mammals such as jaguars and tapirs on the farm, smaller ones like monkeys and rabbits are a relatively common sight. A 2013 study reported in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment found that Costa Rican shade-coffee farms rivaled nearby forest habitats when it came to the presence of mammals. Fortunately, many coffee-growing regions have great biodiversity, and shade grown coffee has the power to help reverse, or at least slow down, that trend.ДЇarms producing shade grown coffee have the potential to mimic forests, meaning that they can provide welcome refuge for wildlife whose habitat is otherwise shrinking.

In 2014, the WWF found that 52% of the worldвЂ™s biodiversity has disappeared. Kinnunen Shade Grown Coffee Increasing Biodiversity Papayas, mangos, bananas, oranges, and avocadoes can all grow well on coffee farms.Д¬hiapas, Mexico: thousands of coffee trees are thriving in the shade beneath the canopy. If the coffeeВ farmerВ plants fruit-growing shade trees, they can maximize their income and diversify their diet вЂ“ all while using almost zero extra land. And the trees can also decrease soil erosion from downpours.ДЄnother benefit is economic. If a coffee farm doesnвЂ™t have these nitrogen-fixing shade trees, the farmer will need to add it (often chemically) to the soil. Many popular shade trees also fix nitrogen in the soil. When coffee is grown under shade, it generally ripens slower, giving the cherries more time to mature and fully develop their complex flavours. This helps keep the temperature low and stable, while the treesвЂ™ fallen leaves also keep humidity in the ground. They offer the coffee plants much needed shade from the scorching sun. The shade trees provide a host of advantages, ranging from the environmental to the economic.

This can range from the farmerВ planting shade trees on their farm to them planting coffee trees in the existing forests вЂ“ just like how wild coffee grows. Shade grown coffee is coffee grown under the shade of other trees. Credit: Alexander Kin nunen What Is Shade Grown Coffee?

Never underestimate the power of a cup of coffee to effect change. SEE ALSO: Shade-Grown Coffee 101: A VIDEO Introduction Today, IвЂ™d like to give you a preview of it. ItвЂ™s also a way to make a profound environmental and economic impact.ДЄnd thatвЂ™s why my Producer and I have spent several months filming on coffee farms in Central America, working to bring that story to you. Yet shade grown coffee is more than just a good story. As a filmmaker, IвЂ™m always looking for a good story to tell.

Shade movie