ABSTRACT
Coffee is the most widely traded agricultural commodity across the world, and the mainstay of agrarian economies of over 50 countries in the tropics which grow coffee on a commercial scale. Popularly referred to as ‘Brown Gold’, coffee contributes a significant amount to the national exchequer by way of export earnings for producer countries. The coffee sector provides livelihood to an estimated 125 million people in areas of production, processing and marketing (www.fairtrade.org.uk). Coffee is thus instrumental for socioeconomic development, particularly in rural areas, and for the transition from subsistence to modern commercial farming.
