Following a long, winding drive past literally millions of coffee bushes to the top of the farm, 1,400 meters above sea level, I looked out over the one thousand plus - hectare estate, the largest contiguous coffee farm in the country. (rainforest-alliance.org)
In Oaxaca, we've been working with young people in coffee farming communities to introduce agroforestry — the cultivation of native trees alongside coffee bushes that flourish in the shade — which is a way to stabilize the microclimate and keep water in the ground. (rainforest-alliance.org)
She then started «growing fertilizer» by planting avocado trees that provide shade for delicate coffee bushes, organic nutrients for the soil (the fallen leaves that now carpet much of the farm), and extra income for the family when the fruits are in season. (rainforest-alliance.org)