One good deed can truly create a ripple effect, as new studies are showing about initiatives that give coffee farmers bee hives to help supplement their income.

“New research demonstrates that bee pollination can result in a 10 to 20 percent  ‘pollination effect’ in coffee. More than that, bee projects can contribute to improved livelihoods for coffee farmers and their families.

“It’s common knowledge that bees are in jeopardy around the world, which is why this research is so important. Every day we learn more about how bees and other pollinators are indispensable players in food production,” says Janice Nadworny, Co-director of Food 4 Famers.

“In the case of coffee, bees not only contribute to improved livelihoods, but they have the added impact of improving coffee quality.”
Researchers have been working to understand the contribution of bees to coffee production for decades. In Panama, Smithsonian researcher Dave Roubik found that bees accounted for 36 percent of coffee production, of which 25 percent was due to honey bees.

In Indonesia, a team led by agroecologist Alexandra-Maria Klein estimated the bees’ contribution at 12 percent.

While coffee shrubs provide few nesting sites and food for bees, bee diversity and abundance depend on the presence of trees inside or around the coffee farm – demonstrating an additional benefit of shade-grown coffee.

Forest surrounding a coffee farm can contribute to increased yields of 20 percent, while reducing peaberries (where the cherry produces a single bean rather than the normal two) by 27 percent...

GloryBee is thrilled to partner with Food4Farmers and be a partner for this cycle of sustainability with delicious outcomes!

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