Jeffrey Sachs to Open 1st World Coffee Producers Forum in Colombia

Coffee farmers and industry stakeholders from over 40 countries will address sustainability challenges of the coffee value chain under a co-responsibility approach.

The ICO Executive Director, the President of Colombia and the CEO of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) will also take part in the opening ceremony, along with representatives of African, Asian and Latin American coffee producers.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia, June 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (FNC Press Office) - The First World Coffee Producers Forum, to be held in Medellín, Colombia, from July 10 to 12, will be opened by the expert and leader in sustainable development Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs as keynote speaker.

The program of the First World Coffee Producers Forum includes speakers, analysts and guests of international stature, and will address issues that affect the entire coffee industry, making this event a must.

A world-renowned professor of economics, senior UN advisor, bestselling author, and syndicated columnist, Professor Sachs is currently the director of both the Center for Sustainable Development (at the Columbia University) and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization (ICO), José Sette; the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, and the CEO of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), Roberto Velez, will also participate in the opening ceremony, along with representatives of African, Asian and Latin American coffee producers.

The First World Coffee Producers Forum aims at addressing the challenges that could prevent the value chain from being sustainable in the future, such as a more equitable distribution of income, with an approach of co-responsibility of all stakeholders.

Bringing Together Coffee Producers and Key Actors of the Global Industry

The forum's academic agenda will address issues that are common challenges to all coffee-producing countries and pose a threat to the industry as a whole. Economic sustainability of coffee growers, rural development, socio-economic indicators, climate change adaptation, productivity, price volatility, generational change, and labor are some of them.

Thematic working groups and panels will analyze challenges of coffee production and trading and make recommendations on how to deal with them.

Other figures of international stature attending the forum as moderators or speakers are Ric Rhinehardt, Executive Director and CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA); Fred Kawuma, Secretary General of the Inter-African Coffee Organization (IACO); Silas Brasileiro, Executive President of Brazil's National Coffee Council (NCC) and Annette Pensel, Executive Director of the Global Coffee Platform.

Ronald Peters, Executive Director of Costa Rica's Coffee Institute (Icafé); René León, Executive Secretary of Promecafé; Ishak Lukenge, President of the Uganda Chapter and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA), and Vanusia Nogueira, Executive Director of the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) will also participate in the forum as moderators or panel members.

Among industry representatives attending the forum, including global companies like Starbucks, several will also take part as speakers or panelists, such as Marcelo Burity, Head of Green Coffee Development at Nestlé, and Andrea Illy, Chairman of Illycaffè.

During the whole conference, attendees will be able to taste coffees from all the producing countries that will participate in the forum.

Given the great interest that this event has drawn (including a two-day field trip to the central Colombian coffee region) and that places are limited, those interested in attending must register at:

http://www.worldcoffeeproducersforum.com/es
http://www.worldcoffeeproducersforum.com/

About the FNC
Created in 1927, the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC, Federación Nacional de Cafeteros) represents over 560,000 Colombian coffee growers. With a vision of environmental, economic and social sustainability, its mission is to work for the well-being of Colombian coffee growers and their families. It provides public goods and services and develops specific programs and strategies that help them climb the value chain and improve their quality of life.

Contact Information:
Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia
Jenny Vanessa Cuervo
(57+1) 3136600 Ext. 1697