The Coffeelands Blog turns 1
On Saturday, the CRS Coffeelands Blog turns 1. We won’t be able to publish the standard one-year-old birthday party picture of a wide-eyed baby with a face — and hands and hair and clothes — covered in icing and cake crumbs. And we haven’t won a Sprudgie for best blog. We have managed to publish over 100 posts and generate some engaging exchanges with coffee industry leaders on issues of vital importance to coffee farmers and the future of sustainability. Below are links to a few of the posts that provoked the most passionate exchanges during year one, and the categories of content that I consider to be most important to the ongoing sustainability discussion in the industry (and at origin). Happy birthday, Coffeelands Blog.
Featured post:
- “More perspectives on Direct Trade” (published 27 May 2010)
Featured post:
- “Fair Trade Certification in the news, unfortunately” (published 7 September 2010)
Featured post:
- “Hunger in the coffeelands presentation” (19 April 2010)
Featured post:
- “The case for (social) investment at origin” (published 3 August 2010)
Thanks for this site, Michael. Posts are always insightful and high quality!
Julie:
Thank you so much for the kind words – they mean a lot coming from you!
Michael
Congrats Michael for the blog – very interesting read (it’s in my RSS feed).
To add to the conversation on Fair Trade (and to your “This is not what I fought for” post), what are your thoughts on the debate currently raging on in the UK?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/04/multinations-development-fairtrade-report
http://www.iea.org.uk/record.jsp?type=release&ID=217
Saludos,
Vincent
Vincent:
Thanks for the kind words and for taking the time to weigh in. I appreciate the reference to the UK discussion around Fair Trade’s impact and am sorry I haven’t had a chance to address it here sooner. I will be posting some reflections this week on the relationship between Fair Trade and coffee quality and will be sure to include something on the issue of Fair Trade and social impact, as well.
Michael
Michael,
For lots of reasons, your Coffeelands blog is important to me. I’m an ardent fan of the blog and an admirer of your work and commitment. And how many blogs can say they have brilliant, extremely knowledgeable commenters?
Thanks and happy birthday.
-jl
John:
Thanks for the birthday wish and the kinds words. It is nice to know I have at least one “ardent” fan!
As for the quality of the commentary, I couldn’t agree more — it has been the most gratifying part of the experience so far and a source of continuous learning for me.
Michael