Article: Coffee
Section: Ecological effects

Question: Why was coffee farming originally done?

Originally, coffee farming was done in the shade of trees that provided a habitat for many animals and insects.
Remnant forest trees were used for this purpose, but many species have been planted as well.
These include leguminous trees of the genera "Acacia", "Albizia", "Cassia", "Erythrina", "Gliricidia", "Inga", and "Leucaena", as well as the nitrogen-fixing non-legume sheoaks of the genus "Casuarina", and the silky oak "Grevillea robusta".
This method commonly referred to as the traditional shaded method, or "shade-grown".
Starting in the 1970s, many farmers switched their production method to sun cultivation, in which coffee is grown in rows under full sun with little or no forest canopy.
This causes berries to ripen more rapidly and bushes to produce higher yields, but requires the clearing of trees and increased use of fertilizer and pesticides, which damage the environment and cause health problems.
Unshaded coffee plants grown with fertilizer yield the most coffee, although unfertilized shaded crops generally yield more than unfertilized unshaded crops: the response to fertilizer is much greater in full sun.
Although traditional coffee production causes berries to ripen more slowly and produce lower yields, the quality of the coffee is allegedly superior.
In addition, the traditional shaded method provides living space for many wildlife species.
Proponents of shade cultivation say environmental problems such as deforestation, pesticide pollution, habitat destruction, and soil and water degradation are the side effects of the practices employed in sun cultivation.
The American Birding Association, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Arbor Day Foundation, and the Rainforest Alliance have led a campaign for 'shade-grown' and organic coffees, which can be sustainably harvested.
Shaded coffee cultivation systems show greater biodiversity than full-sun systems, and those more distant from continuous forest compare rather poorly to undisturbed native forest in terms of habitat value for some bird species.
Another issue concerning coffee is its use of water.
According to "New Scientist", using industrial farming practices, it takes about of water to grow the coffee seeds needed to produce one cup of coffee, and the coffee is often grown in countries where there is a water shortage, such as Ethiopia.
By using sustainable agriculture methods, the amount of water usage can be dramatically reduced, while retaining comparable yields.
For comparison, the United States Geological Survey reports that one egg requires an input of of water; one serving of milk requires an input of of water; one serving of rice requires an input of of water; and one glass of wine requires an input of of water.
Coffee grounds may be used for composting or as a mulch.
They are especially appreciated by worms and acid-loving plants such as blueberries.
Some commercial coffee shops run initiatives to make better use of these grounds, including Starbucks' "Grounds for your Garden" project, and community sponsored initiatives such as "Ground to Ground".
Starbucks sustainability chief Jim Hanna has warned that Climate change may significantly impact coffee yields within a few decades.