Monitoring Coffee Agroforestry to Secure Climate Impact

Agroforestry is essential for securing our future supply of coffee, increasing the resilience of crops to major threats from climate change. But how can we demonstrate its climate impact and motivate companies to invest in agroforestry?

To achieve material outcomes from agroforestry, it’s necessary to have an evidence-based approach for determining project outputs. This means implementing extensive operations for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) throughout the project — drawing on environmental science, in-field data, and local knowledge to measure and certify impact.

“We carefully count each tree and assess its health, whether it requires assistance or has adhered to the established model,” explains Mauren Rodríguez, our Senior Project Officer in Guatemala. “A key purpose of monitoring is providing the producer with evidence-based advice to enhance tree survival.”

PUR’s robust MRV strategy amplifies the potential of nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration projects, enabling companies to achieve accurate climate targets.

MONITORING & TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO SECURE CLIMATE IMPACT

Follow-up visits are an important aspect of our coffee agroforestry projects — often occurring shortly after tree distribution, to ensure that planting models are respected and confirm that seedlings are taking root.

“Our monitoring visits ensure that the trees are in good condition, while also increasing producers’ understanding of proper agroforestry maintenance,” says Mauren.

Several months after follow-up visits, we review the progress of agroforestry installations through two rounds of monitoring, called M1 and M2. Our technicians focus on assessing the health status of trees — identifying the causes of any mortality, while collecting data from all parcels through GPS trackers.

Data gathered from the field undergoes thorough analysis, which enables PUR to take proactive actions to improve project outcomes. Using these findings, our technicians can provide farmers with targeted recommendations for tree maintenance, with the objective to optimize the long-term impact of the system.

“During both rounds of monitoring, technicians travel long distances to make sure we visit every parcel,” affirms Takele Birhanu Muleta, Senior Project Officer, Ethiopia.

Our oldest agroforestry projects—Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras—have generated key insights on best practices for monitoring impact. This firsthand knowledge is influencing the standardization of PUR’s monitoring protocols globally, while also guiding pilot trials of effective new MRV techniques.

ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT FOR IMPACT PERMANENCE

With 15 years of experience as a project implementer, PUR leverages adaptive management to continuously improve the performance of agroforestry systems — enabling us to overcome new challenges as environmental conditions change over time. Our experts make decisions based on collecting, analyzing, and incorporating new and evolving information.

To secure the permanence of agroforestry impacts, PUR applies adaptive management protocols such as:

1. Increasing seedling quality: PUR has established strong control protocols for tree seedlings, while also supporting scale-up of local nurseries to create high-quality jobs.
2. Strengthening field operations: PUR increases its field presence by establishing regional offices, local partnerships, and key training programs including:
   • Agroforestry principles
   • Regenerative practices
   • Economic initiatives such as beekeeping and tree nurseries
   
3. Advanced support for farmers: PUR offers comprehensive support to farmers — including high-quality seedlings, tree planting protocols, follow-up visits, and long-term goals for the impact of agroforestry.

Our goal is to constantly improve and expand the impact of agroforestry projects, while addressing our clients’ diverse and long-term reporting needs. Adaptive management can support accurate measurements and certification pathways for carbon impact. It also incorporates international best practices for preserving water, improving biodiversity, and enhancing farmer livelihoods.

Learn more about PUR’s approach to supporting agroforestry, ecosystem services, and farmer livelihoods.