Conserving biodiversity and improving production is possible in coffee growing areas, as a new program in Colombia shows.

Since 2010, the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) has been developing a biodiversity pilot program that involves planting native species to help restore and conserve biodiversity while transforming production systems to focus on better use of natural resources such as soil and water.

An article on the website, Comunicaffe, says it is believed the system – currently implemented on 951 farms - could be replicated in other agricultural sectors.

A total of 280,000 seedlings of 100 difference native species have been planted through the program. This vegetation connects 917 hectares of forests with the trees serving as live fences and agroforestry systems.

The coffee systems under the program have become more efficient in their water use, and biologists monitoring the program have discovered a new tree species and identified 3 species of dragonflies; 2 after almost a century and another seen in Colombia for the first time.

“The project has completely changed farmers’ relationships with the environment,” says Carlos A Uribe, Technical Manager with the FNC. “They can remain productive and make a living while conserving biodiversity and the environment.”

Read the full story: Colombia – FNC leads way in biodiversity conservation