Geospatial Technology Enhances Crop Disease Management for Colombian Coffee Growers

In response to the challenges posed by climate phenomena like La Niña and El Niño, which have impacted coffee production through fluctuating weather patterns and the introduction of pests and diseases, the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC) of Colombia has implemented a geospatial technology solution to mitigate such effects on crops. The technology, known as the Sistema de Información Cafetera (Sica), utilizes Esri’s ArcGIS platform to monitor over 4 billion coffee trees across approximately 658,000 coffee farms, providing a comprehensive georeferenced database on a national scale. This enables coffee growers to closely monitor their crops and make informed decisions to protect their production, thereby securing their economic returns. According to FNC officials, the proactive use of this technology has significantly improved the resiliency of coffee crops, with the percentage of disease-resistant varieties planted rising from 31% to 87% since 2009. This innovative approach seeks not only to safeguard coffee production levels but also to ensure the ongoing welfare and economic stability of coffee farmers across Colombia.