Who Really Grows Our Coffee?
Exploring the gender inequality of coffee production
When we talk about coffee we often talk about the strength, if it’s black or with milk, oat or dairy, or whether it’s single origin or a blend. But, what we don’t talk about are the people who get the coffee into our cups, and more often than not, these people are women.
Global coffee production is dominated by women, but their efforts often go unnoticed. Somehow at least 70% of labour in coffee production is carried out by women, yet only 20% - 30% of coffee farms are actually operated by women. They do so much of the hard work, from planting and caring for the trees, to harvesting and processing, but the system doesn’t acknowledge their efforts. They are the invisible powerhouse of the coffee industry.
So why is this happening? Well, a lot of it comes down to some deep-rooted systemic issues that literally prevent women from succeeding. Women often don’t have the same access to resources like, land, financial support, and education, which are mostly controlled by men. This means they don’t get the opportunity to invest in their farms or make the decisions that could help to increase their yields. Because they’re normally not in charge of the resources or the land, they are limited in their ability to scale their operations or introduce changes that could improve production.
So even though they do most of the work, the economic returns do not match their efforts. Because they have less control over how to sell their crops or access better markets, they often end up earning less than their male counterparts. On top of this, women in coffee producing regions often spend about 3x longer per week on household chores than men, leaving them with less time to focus on farming. As a result, women’s farms tend to be less productive and make less money.
But these systems don’t just affect women, they affect entire communities. With lower incomes women struggle to invest in their families, and access basic resources like healthcare, education, and nutrition. This creates a cycle of inequality and poverty that’s passed down from one generation to the next.
As coffee drinkers we have the power to help breakdown these barriers. We need to buy coffee produced by women. By supporting coffee grown by women we can make positive, longterm change. There are some amazing brands out there that make supporting women easy:
Girls Who Grind Coffee - source 100% of their beans from women
Betty Espresso by Extract Coffee - celebrates and supports women in coffee farming
Women in Coffee Collection, Atlas Programme, and Beija Flor Project from Origin Coffee - specific initiatives to support women in coffee
By buying from these companies like these you’re not just purchasing coffee, you’re investing in the futures of women in the coffee industry, helping to build a more sustainable and inclusive future. So next time you go to buy a bag of beans, think about who produced it, and the impact your choice could make.