Costa Rica, responsible for 1% of global coffee output, is making strides in the realm of digital technology and conservation. A fresh alliance between the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Centre (CATIE) and the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica (SCACR) will introduce an NFT collection, drawing inspiration from 12 distinct CATIE coffee variants. This initiative aims to finance coffee research and conservation.
This auction will be facilitated by BIOCENFT, the NFT distribution firm. The funds raised will be directed to champion CATIE’s International Coffee Collection, which ranks as the globe’s fourth-largest collection. Walter Aguilar, BIOCENFT’s CEO, highlighted this venture as a golden chance for aficionados of both coffee and NFTs to back two pivotal institutions committed to the prosperity of Costa Rican coffee.
Every NFT in the series, mirroring coffee types like Geisha, Wush-Wush, and Mibirizi, will spotlight the individual traits of each coffee variant. Noelia Villalobos, SCACR’s Executive Director, sees the NFT move as a powerful tool to elevate coffee biodiversity consciousness, further solidifying the conservation efforts of both CATIE and SCACR.
Available on BIOCENFT’s online platform, these NFTs, priced between $20 USD and $12,000 USD, come in Gold, Silver, and Standard versions. Through this venture, the focus of the research will shift towards the development of coffee strains resilient to pests and diseases. This initiative also aligns with global efforts to uplift the standards of Costa Rican coffee.