Coffee industry research at Texas A&M

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Updates from the Study Abroad course in Guatemala

It is the peak of the holiday season and all of us at the Coffee Center wish you a very Merry Christmas. However, at this time of year, harvest season is also in full swing in most producing countries. One of our Ph.D students, Taya Brown, has been investigating the lifestyle of several small coffee farmers (cooperatives) in Yepocapa, Guatemala about the beans produced and cup quality.

On Dec 7, 2017, Brown conducted a workshop in which she was able to document and study the stories of these cooperatives to define specific issues between the process of harvesting the bean and processing the drink.

“Right now, once the coffee [beans] leave [the cooperatives’] sight, they have no further connection to them,” Brown says. “It’s important that the farmers are better represented along the supply chain. Telling their story can also add something to the coffee as a product.”

Brown and her Guatemalan research partner, Daniel Dubon, address the farmers of six smallholder coffee farming cooperatives.

One concern is that “no farmer currently has the ability to sell by quality or variety so, though they want to have high quality coffee, there isn’t a lot of incentive to change varieties or farming methods.”

Another obstacle lies in the course of payment for the farmers.

“The processed coffee is sold to larger contractors who don’t pay until the season is over, sometime in April. That means the farmers have to wait two to six months for payment,” Brown says.

The project is based on six smallholder farmer associations in and surrounding San Pedro Yepocapa, Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Brown has been seriously conducting research on it since June 2017.

“My research is to uncover these issues so development projects can better suit the needs of smallholder coffee farmers in the future.”

Speaking of the future, the new year is approaching and the Coffee Center is excited to enter its fourth year of establishment. To read more about the different departments of research the we explore, click here. Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Coffee Center.

Coffee Center welcomes Sarah Brinkley to team

The Coffee Center is proud to announce the addition of Sarah Brinkley to its team this fall.  Sarah is  a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University under Dr. Lombardini.  She graciously agreed to chat with us and answer the following questions.   

 

Why did you decide to Study Coffee at Texas A&M? 

Through my exploration of many wine and coffee-growing regions of the world, I observed the effects of climate change. It became clear to me that, I needed to address challenges facing the coffee producing world, where resources are limited and where, in terms of biodiversity, we have the most to lose.

The reputation of The Center for Coffee Research and Education brought me to study coffee at TAMU. Specifically, I came here to study what affects the flavor of coffee. I want to understand keys to plant health and environmental sustainability as related to flavor development and increased productivity.

 

Have you been abroad?  Tell me about your experience.

 Yes! In a former life as a traveling winemaker, I traveled extensively for work and for play. I worked vintages in Australia, New Zealand, and Chile. My coffee curiosities have led me to explore Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Puerto Rico, and soon Haiti and Guatemala.

I love traveling. I am constantly inspired by the places I visit and people I meet. International exposure, and travel in general, always make me more appreciative of my origins too. I’m reminded that I come from a place with equally rich cultural traditions and natural beauty. I am able to reflect on my home (Tennessee!) with a new perspective.

 

 What do you want to do when you graduate?  Why do you want to go that direction?

After graduation, I aim to give scientific validity to the local knowledge of coffee farmers and producers. My dream job would be to be a university professor, doing research and educating others on issues affecting the coffee producing world.