Mugged: Poverty in Your Coffee Cup

Intensive farming techniques reduce quality and degrade the land No alternatives: declining commodities and the failure of rural development Lack of alternatives to coffee as a cash crop Depending on declining commodities Too little value captured Failure to deliver on rural development Inadequate regulation Farmers' and workers' organisation under attack Scarce information Too little training and support Bad loans, no new credit Weak rural infastructure Declining aid and double standards: farmers betrayed by the donors 3. Niche markets - an escape route? Not for all Fair Trade: a glimmer of hope Specialty brands capturing high value Running for the same exit? No grounds for inertia 4.Getting out of crisis: a strategy for action Restore the balance of supply and demand Restore quality and raise productivity Raise prices, revive livelihoods Retain and build value-adding capacity Establish real alternatives for rural development Conclusion Recommendations: A Coffee Rescue Plan Notes Background research Oxfam's work with coffee producers Oxfam International contact details.