Why Coffee Farmers Are Poor

There is a lot of interest in the welfare of coffee farmers in the greater coffee community, from Coffee Roasters, Importers, Exporters, Baristas, Trade Organizations, NGO’s, and Farmer’s Coops. Dozens of organizations and well-meaning individuals dedicate their lives to improving the welfare of the farmer, and many large corporations have also made farmer welfare a priority.

So why does coffee farmer poverty persist? I contend that the coffee farmer poverty exists for two very specific reasons: geography and farm size.