2nd World Coffee Conference
Salvador, Brazil (23 to 25 September 2005)

The 2nd World Coffee Conference took place in Salvador, Brazil from 23 to 25 September 2005, chaired by Mr. Roberto Rodrigues, the Minister of Agriculture of Brazil. It brought together around 1200 coffee growers and representatives from government, the private sector and international agencies. Almost half the delegates came from overseas, from 65 countries. The Conference was inaugurated by the President of Brazil, Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in the presence of the President of Colombia, H.E. Mr. Alvaro Uribe, the Governor of Bahia and the ICO Executive Director. The main theme was “Lessons emerging from the crisis: New paths for the coffee sector`and over 20 high-level speakers spoke on issues ranging from coffee policies in a market economy to how to develop a sustainable coffee economy. The Chairman presented a preliminary summary of the Conference to the Council at its 94th Session from 27 to 29 September 2005, and presented the final report of the Conference to the Council in May 2006.  Copies of a CD-Rom with detailed information about the Conference, including the programme, presentations and Conference conclusions, were distributed to Members attending the 95th Session of the Council (copies are available on request to ICO Members).  A document reviewing themes raised at the Conference was circulated for use in discussions on the future of the 2001 Agreement (document EB-3901/05 Rev. 1). 

The 1st World Coffee Conference took place in London from 17 to 19 May 2001. The Conference was chaired by Dr. Jorge Cárdenas, of Colombia, General Manager of the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia, and brought together over 450 leaders and decision-makers from coffee producing countries, major private sector companies and many other organizations dealing with coffee. Delegates heard presentations on a wide range of topics, and many ideas for resolving the current crisis of low prices were put forward. New data on the positive effects on health of coffee consumption were also released during the Conference at a press conference on 18 May.

The Council subsequently approved Resolution 400 urging follow up of the ideas presented at the Conference.  A World Coffee Conference Programme Committee met and put forward a number of recommendations which were approved by the Council in May 2002 and incorporated into the ICO five-year Plan of Action.