UH Mānoa and Clemson, to lead federal program to boost US, global coffee, cacao production

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has been awarded an agreement of up to five years, with an initial obligation of  $8 million for the first year, from the US Department of State to host and lead a new Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Coffee and Cacao. Clemson University in South Carolina will co-direct the effort. 

The Coffee and Cacao Innovation Lab (CCIL) is a US university-led collaborative agricultural research program that leverages the advanced capacities of American institutions to meet global challenges in coffee and cacao research. The CCIL will work with small farmers in Hawaiʻi, the continental US, and in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Practical benefits for small farmers

CCIL will work to boost Hawaiʻi’s coffee and cacao production and ensure reliable global supplies to US consumers and companies. This includes breeding varieties to withstand diseases and drought, improving farm management and post-harvest processing, as well as building lasting research capacity in partner countries and producing the economic evidence countries need to guide their own investments in research. 

“The Innovation Lab is designed to transform coffee and cacao science into practical benefits for small farmers in Hawaiʻi, the continental US, and around the world,” said Parwinder Grewal, dean and director of the UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience and principal investigator of the CCIL. 

“This is great news for our small local coffee and cacao farms and showcases Hawai‘i’s global leadership in agricultural research. This new federal funding will give local farmers more tools to fight threats like drought and invasive pests and help boost production of Hawai‘i’s world-class coffee and chocolate,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

“By leveraging the US land-grant system and working with a world-class group of research institutions and industry partners, the CCIL will connect innovative research to farms and supply chains. This will boost productivity and profitability for small farmers, improve processing technologies, and ensure quality products for US consumers,” said Congressional Coffee Caucus Co-Chairs — US Reps. Jill Tokuda (Hawaiʻi) and William Timmons (South Carolina).

Strengthening America’s economy

More than 99% of America’s coffee and cacao supply is imported. Protecting the health and productivity of these crops abroad and in Hawaiʻi protects American businesses, consumers, and growers.

“This investment in agricultural research and innovation will play a critical role in securing resilient supplies of America’s favorite beverage, which is enjoyed by two-thirds of American adults every day, supports more than 2.2 million US jobs, and adds more than $343 billion to the US economy every year,” says National Coffee Association (NCA) President and CEO William “Bill” Murray. 

The typical US resident eats up to eight pounds of chocolate a year, and chocolate generates $28.4 billion in sales and adds 700,000 jobs to the US economy. Yet the American roasting and confectionery industries depend almost entirely on a stable, high-quality supply from producing countries abroad. A more resilient global supply, enabled by CCIL research, will strengthen US security, economic, and trade interests while reinforcing America’s leadership in coffee and cacao research and production.

“Coffee and chocolate are two of the joys in life. I am excited for the benefits this funding brings to American growers and consumers.”  Suzanne Shriner, a coffee farmer and the Administrator for Synergistic Hawaiʻi Agriculture Council. “Ensuring we can all continue to enjoy these foods means investing in the farmers, research, and practices that keep them thriving. This grant helps secure a strong future for cacao and coffee grown right here in the United States, from the farm to cup and bar.

CCIL features a world-class consortium of partners, including the University of California, Davis; Michigan State University; the Ohio State University; the Pennsylvania State University; Mars; World Coffee Research; Synergistic Hawaiʻi Agriculture Council; and Coffee Quality Institute and PlantVillage+.