Marley Coffee Promotes Sustainable Agro-Practices in Sidama

North America-based Marley Coffee and its parent company have planted vetiver grass wetlands around at least 26 wet mills in Ethiopia, and plans to convert all 220 accessible wet mills in the Sidama coffee region by 2020. The program, known as Water Wise Coffee, is implemented by NGO TechnoServe and aims to reduce contamination in local water supplies that occurs during the bean extraction process.

The vetiver grasslands help mill owners naturally filter water through a simple and affordable means. Through Water Wise Coffee, the company hopes to show it is invested and committed to sustainability in Ethiopia’s coffee sector, according to a company press release.

Over the last two years, independent test results carried out on the areas that have been treated by the program have shown dramatic improvement in water quality and thus the living conditions for the people who depend on the rivers for their water supply.

Consumers can also learn more from a unique documentary featuring Rohan Marley, founder and chairman of the Marley Coffee Company, son of the legendary musician Bob Marley and former resident of Ethiopia. The documentary highlights the economic and human impacts of coffee production in Ethiopia and the recent success of the Water Wise Coffee program. The Marley Coffee says it will donate one cent of every single-serve coffee capsule sold to the program.

“Coffee connects us in so many ways – to each other, to our senses and to the earth that supports the coffee trees,” says Marley. “The Marley family has a long history in coffee. In Ethiopia, I learned about the cultural importance of coffee and its roots. I remember my grandmother drying wild coffee berries in the sun, then hulling and roasting them for her own cup of coffee each morning. My father always said that one day he would stop playing music and just farm. I’ve taken on that dream and I know he would be pleased with this program.”

Marley Coffee’s parent company, Mother Parkers, is asking coffee consumers to help in its mission and donate to the program. Mother Parkers will match up to $100,000 in public donations, in addition to its ongoing multi-year funding commitment. The money raised from donors will help the program convert more wet mills in 2015 to cleaner, more sustainable processes. See www.waterwisecoffee.com for more details.

Marley Coffee known with corporate name Jammin Java Corp. is a U.S.-based company that provides premium, artisan roasted coffee to the grocery, retail, online, service, hospitality, office coffee service and big box store industry. Marley Coffee is also the first premium coffee brand to provide consumers with a premium coffee in a recyclable single-serve capsule: the RealCup. All Marley Coffee single-serve capsules will transition to the recyclable RealCup by summer 2015, ahead of the company’s competitors.