We often spend more time looking for coffee discounts than thinking about what happens before that coffee reaches our cup. Yet behind every sip, there are millions of smallholder farmers working tirelessly to meet global demand.
But as the world’s coffee consumption continues to rise, projected to grow by around 4% annually, a quieter crisis brews beneath the surface: the soil that sustains coffee is gradually loses its fertility and the climate cost grows heavier.
Few realize that coffee isn’t just rich in flavor, it’s rich in carbon, too. More than 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in conventional coffee systems come from fertilizer use, particularly nitrogen-based inputs. When plants fail to absorb all that nitrogen, it transforms into nitrous oxide (N₂O), a gas 273 times more potent than CO₂.
In tropical regions where much of the world’s coffee grows, the soils (oxisols and ultisols) have very low cation exchange capacity, causing nutrients to be leached by rainfall before plants can use them. As a result, this inefficiency wastes farmers’ money while releasing invisible plumes of greenhouse gases.
This means the same fertilizer that helps coffee grow can also fuel climate change if used inefficiently.
For decades, the promise of fertilizer was simple: more equals better. But that equation no longer holds true. Modern science shows that Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE), how effectively crops absorb and use nutrients, is far more important than the amount applied.
When farmers learn to “listen to the soil” and adjusting fertilizer use to match the needs of the soil and local conditions, a series of positive changes starts to unfold. Productivity can remain stable even with up to thirty percent less fertilizer, which in turn can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and allow the soil to gradually restore its natural health. This is the essence of regenerative coffee cultivation, an approach that balances productivity with the health of the planet.
Global regulations are catching up to this reality. Policies like the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy and Deforestation-Free Regulation are not just trade rules, they are signs of a global pivot toward low-carbon, regenerative agriculture. Coffee that fails to adapt will soon find it harder to compete in export markets where traceability and emission performance matter.
The real question is no longer how much coffee we can grow, but how responsibly we can grow it.
To support this transition, Pandawa Agri Indonesia has released a new white paper,
“Advancing Coffee Cultivation Through Nature-Based Regenerative Practices – Bridging Science and Market Reality.”
Inside, you’ll uncover insights into:
Every cup of coffee carries a story, from the soil to your hands. If we want that story to continue for generations to come, we must start by listening to what the soil is trying to say.
About Pandawa Agri Indonesia
Pandawa Agri Indonesia is Indonesian agri life-science company and is currently the only one that has innovation in the development of pesticide-reducing products (pesticide reductants). Starting from this innovation, Pandawa Agri Indonesia is committed to helping agricultural business actors to implement agricultural practices that are sustainable, environmentally friendly, safe for users, and also cost-efficient.
For more information visit www.pandawaid.com.
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