Cultivating the next generation of coffee farming leaders
By Emilee Hurtarte, Sr. Manager of Marketing & Communications
A major challenge to the future of coffee is that younger generations – in seeing the ups and downs of the industry – aren't often interested in make their living through coffee farming. The average age of coffee farmers today more than 50 years old. We need a strong new generation of coffee farming leaders if we're to enjoy this product for decades to come!
We talked with one such innovative young leader, Elder Romero, Director of Exports for the Fairtrade certified CAFICO cooperative in Honduras, to explore how businesses, coffee lovers and farming communities can support a vibrant, attractive future for young farmers.
For him, it comes down to providing early opportunities for young people to experience the beauty of coffee cultivation and support the success of their families’ operations, combining experience and heritage with the innovation of the next generation.
Emilee: What makes you excited about the career you’re building in coffee?
Elder: For me, coffee is much more than a crop—it is a family legacy, our heritage, and the driving force that has given us the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. It is a passion that transcends generations and has become a way of life, inspiring me to constantly innovate, seek new opportunities and make a positive impact across the entire coffee value chain.
My commitment is to carry this legacy forward, driving initiatives that strengthen the sector and ensure its future by engaging the next generation with the same passion and respect we have inherited.
Emilee: How would you describe the lack of young people pursuing coffee farming these days?
Elder: The participation of young people in the coffee sector has declined in recent years, largely due to challenges such as the impact of climate change on production and the volatility of international market prices. These factors have led to a loss of interest among younger generations.
However, in our region, coffee is not only a cultural heritage but also the main source of income for many families.
Emilee: Your cooperative and others around you seem to be excelling at raising up young leaders who are sparking creative new ideas and innovations. What is working for CAFICO?
Elder: Organizations like CAFICO have played a key role in strengthening generational renewal by encouraging the sons and daughters of members and producers to actively engage in the coffee value chain. This effort has created tangible opportunities for young people to participate across various stages of the sector—from productive units and certification processes to regulatory compliance, transformation, and final export.
I believe that involving producers and their children in administrative roles, as well as ensuring their active presence throughout the coffee value chain, allows for a deeper understanding of the perspectives and challenges involved in both coffee production and commercialization. Young people are given the opportunity to understand the coffee ecosystem, introduce innovation and new technologies, and contribute to decision-making processes that benefit not only their own community’s producers, but also the long-term sustainability of the coffee value chain as a whole.
This engagement fosters loyalty and commitment, strengthening coffee cultivation through the management of sustainable projects, the implementation of fair and differentiated pricing and the support of programs such as Fairtrade—one of our key allies.
Emilee: What would you say has to change in the coffee industry to encourage young people to take up the work of coffee farming?
Elder: Sustainability within the coffee value chain is essential to encourage youth engagement. The legacy of coffee must be instilled from an early age, fostering a sense of commitment and a generational philosophy that strengthens the sector over time.
Moreover, I believe it is crucial to enhance the education of our youth in order to develop a more specialized and competitive coffee value chain. This approach will motivate more young people to seek opportunities within the industry, thereby driving its growth not only in terms of production, but also through added value, innovation and transformation.
"Coffee is much more than a crop—it is a family legacy, our heritage, and the driving force that has given us the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally."
Elder Romero, Director of Exports at CAFICO
Emilee: What would you say to businesses in the US about their role in supporting the future of coffee through young farmers?
Elder: In my view, youth are the future of coffee cultivation. The experience of our parents and the legacy of families rooted in the coffee sector—combined with new tools, innovative production systems, and above all, a strong commitment to sustainability —must become the industry's strategic focus to ensure long-term supply.
It is essential to maintain ongoing communication between the final consumer, the industry and the origin in order to empower our young leaders and generate effective responses to the key challenges posed by the global coffee market.
Emilee: What’s the role of a partner like Fairtrade in making coffee farming an attractive career for young people?
Elder: In my opinion, Fairtrade is one of the most solid foundations for encouraging the participation of the next generation in the coffee value chain. Fairtrade's ongoing commitment to sustainability and fairer pricing for producers helps create dignified working conditions, which in turn fosters greater involvement of younger generations in the sector.
Furthermore, the continuous communication and training promoted by Fairtrade Standards—alongside the support provided by CAFICO—offer meaningful opportunities for young people to actively engage across the various stages of the coffee value chain.
This approach enables coffee-growing families to improve their productive units and gain access to decent employment, generating a direct impact on the quality of life of producers.
Emilee: What other strategies would you suggest for encouraging a new generation of coffee farming leadership?
Elder: I believe it is essential to continue strengthening training programs and to seek partnerships with academic institutions that can provide a scientific foundation for research focused on the development of new coffee varieties, quality processes and risk management strategies—both at productive and business levels.
It is equally important to create opportunities for exchange between origin and industry, allowing for a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by each part of the value chain. This collaboration enables joint efforts to further advance a truly sustainable coffee sector.
We must also promote generational renewal by engaging children and youth from an early age. This fosters genuine commitment and passion for the sector, strengthens productive units and directly improves the living conditions of coffee-growing families.
Elder Romero is the Director of Exports at CAFICO, a Fairtrade certified coffee cooperative in Corquín, Honduras, where his family have cultivated coffee for generations.