Industry Overview - The global coffee industry is characterized by a significant power asymmetry between the Global North and the Global South, impacting small coffee farmers [5] - The global demand for coffee is at an all-time high, with approximately 25 billion cups consumed daily [3] - The global coffee market size is projected to reach approximately $174 billion USD in the next five years [4] Challenges and Inequities - A significant portion (60% or more) of global coffee production comes from small coffee farmers, who often own between two to five hectares of land [5] - Many small coffee farmers live in poverty or extreme poverty due to imbalances in the global coffee value chain [6] - Colonialism and capitalism have contributed to structural causes of inequity in the coffee industry, marginalizing coffee-growing communities and creating conditions for overproduction and cheap sales [14][15][16] - A few transnational companies control over 50% of the global coffee trade, creating oligopsony and oligopoly market conditions [17][18] - Fragmentation and limited access to public goods (roads, transportation, telecommunications) further aggravate the problems faced by small coffee farmers [19] Potential Solutions - Exploring alternative economic models beyond capitalism, such as cooperatives and vertically integrated partnerships, to improve profit distribution and bargaining power for small coffee farmers [23][24][25] - Improving public goods and infrastructure in coffee-growing regions through community efforts, government intervention, and NGO participation [26] - Challenging power structures and promoting collective action, including the involvement of transnational companies, to create a more equitable and interconnected coffee industry [27][28][30]