This study was aimed at verifying whether the purposes, requirements and practices promoted by the Fair Trade, Organic, Rainforest Alliance and Utz Kapeh sustainability initiatives and the Starbuck’s C.A.F.E. Practices, 4C, Nespresso AAA; and the ADAM initiative; they have had the expected effects on the economic, social and environmental conditions of the Colombian producers who participate in them. It is based on the COSA methodology (Committee on Sustainability Assessment), for the measurement of the costs and benefits (economic, social and environmental) of the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices in different countries and agricultural crops, applying an international methodology that allows comparing the results with other countries.

The methodological design was quasi-experimental with panel data obtained from a random sample of 2,474 coffee growers, representative of four departments (Caldas, Huila, Nariño, Santander) and two producer sizes (<3 and > 3 hectares). The final objective was to rigorously evaluate whether the strategy that Colombia opted for is bearing fruit, what the main benefits are, and also what the main costs are.

Completion date: March 2010.