Volcafe and Cotierra partner to generate carbon credits from biochar within coffee value chains

Partnership marks pioneering advance for Colombian coffee farmers

Swiss green coffee trader Volcafe and innovative biochar solutions provider Cotierra have officially issued biochar-based carbon removal credits in Colombia. This landmark achievement sets a new precedent in the Colombian coffee industry, demonstrating that biochar can effectively support the decarbonisation of coffee farming while benefiting farmers.

This is a pioneering advance in Colombia: based on available public information, these are the first biochar-related carbon removal credits issued under an external carbon standard or within coffee value chains in the country.

'Promoting biochar on coffee farms goes beyond carbon sequestration and contributes significantly to the resilience of coffee producers. We identified Cotierra as an exceptionally strong partner for scalable biochar solutions within the coffee value chain,' commented Tim Scharrer, Chief Operating Officer and Regional Director for Europe and North America at Volcafe.

A farmer with biomass materials and biochar

Cotierra’s approach not only enables measurable and permanent carbon removal but also restores soil health, creating a dual impact: mitigating climate risks in the supply chain and contributing to more sustainable and productive farming practices.

Carcafe, Volcafe’s entity in Colombia, spearheaded the implementation of this project, leveraging their deep coffee expertise and extensive network of farms. They integrated Cotierra’s decentralised biochar approach to achieve remarkable results. Participating coffee producers, all members of the Volcafe Way farmer support programme, produced biochar using biomass available on their farms – primarily from coffee tree renovation and maintenance of agroforestry systems.

When used as an input directly on the coffee fields, biochar enhances soil health, supports more efficient fertiliser use, and ultimately leads to higher crop yields. Biochar also improves climate resilience and residue management processes by improving water use efficiency and facilitating pulp composting. Additionally, the high-quality carbon removal credits are sold on the voluntary carbon market, providing initial adoption incentives to farmers.

'I am incredibly proud of the Carcafe team for their leadership in this project,' said Sebastián Pinzón, General Manager of Carcafe, Volcafe’s entity in Colombia. 'Their dedication and innovation have been instrumental in demonstrating the tangible benefits of biochar for coffee producers.'

Thomas Käslin, CEO of Cotierra, added, 'We're enthusiastic to team up with forward-thinking coffee leaders like Volcafe. Together, we're making great strides in decarbonising agricultural supply chains across the tropics. This partnership shows how sustainable practices and carbon finance can bring about positive changes for the environment and create more resilient supply chains.’

About Volcafe

Established in 1851, Volcafe is one of the world’s largest coffee merchants, specialising in worldwide green coffee procurement, processing in origin countries and distribution to roaster partners. Volcafe provides access to all the major coffee producing origins and supplies beans for over 66 billion cups a year. For more on Volcafe, visit www.volcafe.com

About Cotierra

Cotierra decarbonises agricultural supply chains with scalable biochar solutions. Its unique approach enables direct on-farm operations and measurable emission reduction and removal. By working closely with traders and farmers, Cotierra accelerates the transition to regenerative agriculture and supports a more resilient, low-carbon future. For more on Cotierra, please visit www.cotierra.com