Ape guru develops coffee certification scheme

Source: Reuters

By Helen Nyambura-Mwaura

ARUSHA, Tanzania, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Ape conservationist Jane Goodall said on Saturday she is developing a new certification scheme for coffee growers farming in areas where endangered chimpanzees live, mainly in Tanzania and Burundi.

Farmers will be encouraged to protect and enlarge forests where the animals have their habitat in return for marketing of their product to roasters interested in paying a premium for environmentally friendly coffee.

"People associate my name with chimpanzees," the environmentalist told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference of African coffee growers.

"By certifying this coffee, we ensure that it is super quality, it complies with environmental standards that benefit the apes and (in return) we give a great deal of money to the farmers by marketing their coffee."

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