⏱ 2 min read
The Short Version
Specialty coffee’s survival hinges on whether marginalized workers can choose agriculture over illicit crops like coca. To prevent a regional collapse, the industry must move beyond farm-by-farm fixes toward systemic policy changes that make staying at origin a viable professional reality for youth.
In This Article
The future of specialty coffee depends on more than fermentation science or altitude; it hinges on whether the next generation can actually afford to stay at origin. In Tierralta, Colombia—a region historically defined by armed conflict and coca cultivation—the industry faces a reckoning. For workers like Jhon Arley Gomez, the choice was never between competing coffee farms, but between an illicit economy that accepted him and a legal one that refused to open its doors.
The problem was never Jhon’s capacity. The problem was that nobody had built him an alternative.
Breaking the cycle
Jhon spent years working the full cycle of the cocaine trade because his community had already written him off. Born with a physical condition, he found every legitimate door closed to him; neighbors ridiculed him and employers wouldn’t take the chance. The illicit economy was the only one that would accept his labor without question. His story illustrates a structural reality: the problem isn’t a lack of capacity, but a total absence of alternatives. Through Project to Decolonize Coffee (PDC), this transition became possible when real investment met local potential. The problem was never Jhon’s capacity. The problem was that nobody had built him an alternative. This shift moves coffee from a survival mechanism into a viable professional path for those once marginalized by society.
A systemic necessity
The quality revolution of the last two decades relied on producers who chose this craft, yet the current producer base is aging rapidly. While direct trade and quality premiums provide vital support, they operate on a micro scale that cannot fix regional instability or rural infrastructure gaps. To prevent mass migration and the return to illicit crops, PDC is advocating for a Special Envoy on Youth for the Americas within the Organization of American States. The goal is to move beyond farm-by-farm fixes toward policy infrastructure that supports youth entrepreneurship and digital access at a hemispheric level.
For roasters and importers, the mandate is specific: sustainability requires investing in new coffee regions and supporting the institutional changes that keep workers in the field. Supporting these transitions ensures that the hands picking the cherries are choosing agriculture rather than being forced into it by necessity.
Do you think specialty coffee’s current direct-trade models go far enough to address these structural issues?
Questions & Answers
Why are people in Tierralta transitioning from coca cultivation to coffee farming?
People in Tierralta are moving toward coffee production because it provides a legal, professional alternative to the illicit cocaine trade. For many marginalized workers, the illegal economy was historically the only sector that offered employment without discrimination or barriers to entry. Through initiatives like the Project to Decolonize Coffee, investment is helping transform agriculture from a mere survival mechanism into a viable career path. This transition helps break the cycle of poverty and instability that has long defined the region.
How does the Project to Decolonize Coffee help marginalized workers?
The Project to Decolonize Coffee assists marginalized workers by providing the necessary investment and structural alternatives required to enter the legal coffee industry. Many individuals, such as Jhon Arley Gomez, previously felt forced into the illicit economy because they faced social ridicule or employment discrimination due to physical conditions. By creating professional pathways and supporting local potential, the project helps these workers transition from illegal activities to legitimate specialty coffee production, ensuring they have a stable place within the legal agricultural economy.
What are the primary challenges facing the future of specialty coffee production?
The primary challenge facing specialty coffee is an aging producer base and the lack of economic opportunities for the next generation. While fermentation science and altitude are important, the industry cannot survive if young people cannot afford to stay in their home regions. Without systemic changes, many workers face mass migration or a return to illicit crops like coca due to regional instability. Addressing these structural issues requires moving beyond small-scale farm fixes toward broader policy infrastructure and youth entrepreneurship support.
What steps are being taken to address rural instability in the coffee industry?
Efforts to address rural instability include advocating for hemispheric policy changes and supporting institutional infrastructure. The Project to Decolonize Coffee is pushing for the creation of a Special Envoy on Youth for the Americas within the Organization of American States. This initiative aims to move beyond individual direct-trade premiums toward large-scale solutions like improved digital access and youth entrepreneurship support. Such systemic changes are designed to prevent mass migration and ensure that coffee farming remains a sustainable professional option for young people.
Originally reported by Barista Magazine.
