Development of GI-protected Baoshan Arabica coffee in Xinzhai village, Baoshan city, Yunnan province of China
01/08/2022 , Baoshan
©GCdataPR, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Highlight
- Xinzhai village of Baoshan city in Yunnan province is known as the number one coffee village in China, despite being off the coffee belt. Lujiang town, where Xinzhai is located, is the birthplace of large-scale coffee production in China, dating back to 1952.
- Baoshan Arabica coffee was designated as China’s geographical indication (GI) product in 2010. Harmonious development of ecological protection and economic development have been pursued, by involving coffee farmers, enterprises, governments and scientists. This movement was supported by Geographical Indications for Environment & Sustainability (GIES), which played an instrumental role to promote scientific data collection and documentation of the achievements. The Baoshan Coffee Xinzhai Village Dry-Hot Valley Case is one of the best practices acknowledged at the launching forum of GIES in 2021.
- Joint efforts have successfully expanded green coffee production from 50 000 tonnes in 2010 to 160 000 tonnes in 2016, and established a good brand image of quality coffee as “Baoshan Arabica coffee”, enabling export to 20 countries and regions. Scientific data collection, analysis and presentation of local climate, land use and soil characteristics have assisted decision making and rule setting. Baoshan Arabica coffee was designated as the first batch of China-EU geographical indication (GI) product in 2020.
- A comprehensive business model has been pursued, involving coffee production, sales and tourism. Tourism expands the beneficiaries beyond the core coffee industry stakeholders, leading to economic wellbeing of the wider population.
Background
Coffee was introduced to Yunnan province in the late nineteenth century by the French missionary, but it was not until 1952 when a large-scale production began from Lujiang town in Longyang district, Baoshan city, where Xinzhai village is located. Xinzhai village is at 25 degrees north latitude, which is off the coffee belt, but due to the dry-hot climate of Nujian valley, Xinzhai village is a unique production site of good quality coffee.
Xinzhai village lies between Gaoligong mountain and Nujiang river, with vertical gradient from 760 to 1 640 m. Coffee plantation accounts for 12 000 mu (800 ha), or 95 percent of the total arable land in Xinzhai village. With a per capita coffee farm at 5.7 mu (0.38 ha), Xinzhai is known as the number one coffee village in China. Catimor and Typica are the two Arabica species grown in Xinzhai. Catimor is mainly planted in low areas under 1 000 m, while Typica is grown in high areas above 1 000 m. The Baoshan Arabica coffee was designated as China’s geographical indication (GI) product in 2010.
However, coffee quality is affected by climate and topography. The Baoshan Arabica coffee is no exception, especially because of the elevation gap of more than 800 m in the production areas. Production standards also need to be based on scientific facts, harmonized with ecological protection.
Key initiatives/process
As part of preparation of the provincial standard for GI, research was conducted to study the relationship between altitude and coffee quality. Two findings were that (1) altitude and coffee quality have a positive relationship, as per the findings in other parts of the world, and that (2) such a relationship is mixed in locations beyond 24 degrees north latitude. Accordingly, the provincial standard in 2012 stipulates that only the coffee produced in the areas between 1 000 and 1 500 m above sea level can qualify for GI.
GIES initiative compiled a dataset for Baoshan Arabica coffee, including the following: (1) physical geographical data, such as boundary of case area, digital elevation model (DEM), climate (monthly sunshine, monthly temperature, monthly precipitation), soil chemicals, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and land use; (2) coffee botany and green coffee bean chemistry; (3) coffee production in Yunnan; and (4) coffee history in Yunnan.
In order to monitor the production properly, meteorological data are quite important. However, the traditional stations were located at flat and low altitude only, where obtained data would not represent the whole areas stretching more than 800 m of elevation gap. Therefore, in 2018, a 24-hour observation system was introduced to five locations, between 760 and 1 640 m altitude, so that more accurate monitoring and assessment of the meteorological characteristics have become possible.
In addition, NDVI images were produced from satellite data in order to reveal the state of land cover. Soil composition and coffee quality, from different altitude, were also measured.
In terms of management, Xinzhai village follows the principle of “harmonious development of ecological protection and economic development” to balance the ecological and environmental protection of Gaoligong mountain area and economic betterment of the people. The people have adopted the mode of “company + base + professional cooperatives + farmers”, whereby farmers’ skills and the quality of coffee are improved, operation cost is reduced, market risk is reduced, and the income of coffee farmers is increased. The governments also play their roles to promote investment and publicity, along with implementing various measures to support Baoshan coffee industry.
Coffee enterprises in Xinzhai village have joined the “Longyang district agricultural product traceability system”, and also developed an independent coffee traceability system. They also implement ISO22000 food safety management system. These measures guarantee the reputation and quality of coffee of origin in Xinzhai. In addition, brand construction and marketing has been undertaken through establishing an organic coffee demonstration park and training farmers and enterprises at the park on coffee planting, management, harvesting and processing, following the ISO standards. A coffee auction centre is also established in the village. Coffee enterprises also participate in agricultural expos across the country.
The ecological coffee farm in Xinzhai village is composed of coffee processing, coffee culture exhibition, coffee tourism and coffee product sales. Coffee tourism covers natural and cultural aspects to appreciate Gaoligong mountain natural scenery and multi-ethnic folk cultures, and coffee production aspect including planting, picking, processing and tasting. In addition, “Baoshan Coffee Culture Festival” is organized for the general public.
Impact
A comprehensive system has been formed, covering coffee production, processing, sales, coffee culture and tourism, which promotes the innovative development of the whole industrial chain of Baoshan Arabica coffee. GIES took a lead in collecting scientific data accurately. Such data are useful for all stakeholders to understand the environmental state of the target areas, which forms the foundation for consensus building and concerted actions. For example, NDVI data reaffirm the necessity of eco-system protection of the wider areas. The higher mountain area beyond the coffee farms belongs to Gaoligong Mountain Nature Reserve, which has better vegetation now, and is not only an important ecological shelter for the coffee production areas, but also a valuable source of coffee pollinating insects.
Also, the meteorological data in 2019–2020 reveal that the annual precipitation at Xinzhai village was 324–645 mm, which is far below the world norm of 1 200–2 200 mm. It provides a ground for the necessity to consider water shortage problem in the near future.
In addition, GIES also compiled the socio-economic data and information in one dataset that is openly made available. Coffee area in Baoshan has reached 9 066.67 ha in 2019, producing 20 300 tonnes of green coffee beans accounting for 1.053 billion Yuan. There are 78 coffee enterprises in Baoshan. Of which, Xinzhai village has five coffee enterprises including the one nominated as a provincial agricultural leading enterprise and serving as the president unit of Yunnan Coffee Industry Association. Altogether in Yunnan province, the green coffee bean production increased from 50 000 tonnes in 2010 to 160 000 tonnes in 2016.
Coffee has grown to become the major agricultural product in Baoshan city. As the source of the largest export product for Baoshan, Baoshan Arabica coffee has been exported to 20 countries and regions.
In 2020, it was designated as the first batch of China-EU geographical indication product. In 2019, Longyang district of Baoshan city was awarded the provincial model county of “One County One Industry” for coffee.
Good practices/lessons
Involvement and joint efforts of all stakeholders have enabled the development of the strategic local product, coffee. Coffee farmers, enterprises, governments and scientists played their roles respectively in their areas of strengths – farmers on production and processing, enterprises on production, processing and marketing, governments on regulations, incentives, acknowledgement, technical support and marketing, and scientists on data collection, analysis, technology development and dissemination.
A comprehensive business model has been pursued, involving coffee production, sales and tourism. Tourism expands the beneficiaries beyond the core coffee industry stakeholders. Creating and sustaining the brand image rooted on the locality is a key to enhance value addition to the strategic local product and economic wellbeing of the people. It is also noteworthy that the business model is well integrated and balanced with environmental protection.
Only 35 percent of the coffee land in Xinzhai village is eligible for GI as Baoshan Arabica coffee. It might not be an easy decision to exclude the majority of the coffee farmers from the benefits associated with GI. Scientific data assist decision making and promote understanding of the measures that are sometimes difficult to accept.
Key resources
Duan, R. T., Liu, Y. T., Fu, C. L., et al. GIES case dataset on Baoshan Arabica coffee dry-hot valley in Xinzhai village, Yunnan province of China [J]. Journal of Global Change Data & Discovery, 2021,
5(3): 261–274. DOI: 10.3974/geodp.2021.03.05. https://www.geodoi.ac.cn/WebEn/Pdfdown.aspx?paperID=ae3dbc39-996a-40c0-a142-cafd5efab86f
Liu, C., Gong, K., Liu, Y. H., et al. An innovative solution on geographical indications for environment & sustainability (GIES) [J]. Journal of Global Change Data & Discovery, 2021, 5(3): 237–248. DOI: 10.3974/geodp.2021.03.03.
https://www.geodoi.ac.cn/WebEn/Pdfdown.aspx?paperID=5fb01f5a-3c29-4db8-aa66-ee07cd003cb6
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For more information
Responsible ministry/institution:
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China