Regenerative organic methods provide a more holistic solution, with implications beyond the farm. “A term like ‘sustainability,’ it can be a slippery word. At its most basic, it means ‘the ability to sustain and keep the status quo.’ And often that status quo can sometimes be a bad situation or system. But with the concept of ‘regenerative,’ you’re actually trying to restore the land and a system,” Chean says. “The whole concept about regenerative organic for us is that we’re not poisoning ourselves, our kids, and our communities through our methods of making food. And we’re not destroying the soil through monocrops but, rather, making the soil healthier and restoring carbon into it.” “As consumers in the U.S., because we’re so far away from the coffee growers, we can forget that lives are impacted by the choices we make at the grocery stores,” says Azadkhanian. “We forget that because something’s on sale or something has prettier packaging or something has a really interesting story behind it ... but there’s no way to tell if the story is even true.”
THE WHY AND HOW OF REGENERATIVE ORGANIC CERTIFICATION Climate change disproportionately affects the tropical and subtropical regions where coffee is grown, and the consequences are dire: 50% of global land area suitable for coffee production may be lost by 2050 due to climate change. 60% of coffee species are considered at high risk of extinction. 25 million smallholder coffee growers are at risk of losing their primary source of income because of declining crop yields. Regenerative organic farming is a viable solution, and the ROC label is an all-encompassing certification that promotes holistic agriculture based on three pillars: SOIL HEALTH ROC facilitates the adoption of agricultural practices that build, rather than degrade, soil by increasing soil organic matter, biodiversity, and fertility, including the use of cover crops, crop rotation, and conservation tillage. ANIMAL WELFARE ROC seeks to ensure humane practices in the raising and handling of animals (though this doesn’t typically apply to coffee farms). SOCIAL FAIRNESS ROC ensures fair payments and living wages for farmers and farmworkers, safe working conditions, capacity building, and freedom of association. “Our farmer-partners aren’t just suppliers; they’re stewards of the land, upholding agricultural practices that restore ecosystems, enrich soil health, and enhance biodiversity,” says Azadkhanian. “The work they do directly impacts the local population and provides upward mobility and economic opportunity for the entire community.”
“I WANT MY COFFEE GROWN IN THE SOIL THAT’S CLEARLY ALIVE. IT WAS REALLY EYE- OPENING FOR US TO SEE THAT FIRSTHAND, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES IT CREATE AN INCREDIBLE PRODUCT, BUT IT CHANGES COMMUNITIES.”
SEEING REGENERATION IN PERSON
IN 2018, after the second major migrant caravan left Central America for the United States, Marcala in the La Paz region of Honduras had become a ghost town. Many men had left, most stores and businesses were empty, but siblings Edgar and Karen Carillo decided to stay, buy a little land, and start a regenerative coffee farm. Their endeavor would become the Pacayal Cooperative, the first ROC coffee farm in Honduras and a project that revitalized the entire community. Now, 450 families are part of this co-op, which provides regenerative farming training and resources. Pacayal has a research and development farm where different growing, planting, and horticulture techniques are tested, and youth are taught to practice regenerative farming. “We got there, and the cities were alive,” recalls Azadkhanian about his 2024 visit. “All the stores were full. You saw schoolchildren everywhere. The roads were paved, and I told Edgar, ‘I’ve been reading about this area. I thought it was so dangerous.’ And he goes, ‘Yeah, 10 years ago it was like that, but since we started regenerative farming, we created this entire economy around coffee.’ It was an incredible sight to see.” Chean agrees that ROC coffee has far-reaching, transformative effects. “This turn to regenerative organic farmed coffee is not a marketing play for us,” he says. “This is a life play, a commitment to try to reverse the damage that we’ve done, and make the world a better place for future generations.”
ROC coffee has far-reaching, transformative effects.
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ISSUE 02
CHANGE IS BREWING
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