S3|EP4 ~ The Bitter Truth Behind Coffee: Deforestation, Human Rights, and Biodiversity Loss with CoffeeWatch

The Think Wildlife Podcast

In this episode of the Think Wildlife Podcast, we are joined by Etelle Higonnet, founder of Coffee Watch, a nonprofit watchdog organization dedicated to the proposition that we should make the world a better place with each cup of coffee. We uncover the hidden environmental and social costs of the global coffee industry — from deforestation and ecosystem degradation to human rights violations in coffee plantations in tropical landscapes around the world, with a focus on the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot!

Once covered in dense tropical forests, the Western Ghats are now dominated by sprawling coffee plantations and monoculture plantations that have drastically altered the landscape. Our guest explores how the expansion of coffee production — driven by global demand — has replaced rich forest ecosystems with uniform monocultures, stripping away the region’s ecological resilience. The shift from traditional shade-grown systems to sun-grown monocultures has disrupted soil health, eliminated natural canopy cover, and endangered pollinators, birds, and mammals that once thrived in these biodiversity-rich ecosystems.

We dive deep into the link between coffee plantations and human–elephant conflict. As forest corridors shrink and elephants lose access to their migratory routes, they are forced into human settlements, resulting in tragic encounters that claim both human and animal lives. These conflicts reveal how unsustainable land use, habitat fragmentation, and poor biodiversity management intensify tensions between people and wildlife across the Western Ghats.

The conversation also exposes the human dimension of the coffee industry — from exploitative labor practices to widespread human rights abuses. Behind the global demand for coffee lies a system where workers, many from marginalized communities, face poor wages, long working hours, and limited access to healthcare and education. These persistent human rights violations highlight how plantation economies, often celebrated for sustainability branding, continue to mask deep social inequities.

Despite these challenges, the episode highlights pathways toward hope and reform through agroforestry and sustainable farming models. Traditional shade-grown coffee — where native trees coexist with coffee shrubs — demonstrates that economic production and biodiversity preservation can go hand in hand. Agroforestry practices support soil fertility, regulate microclimates, and restore ecological corridors, offering a viable alternative to monoculture plantations. They also provide co-benefits for farmers by diversifying income sources and improving resilience to climate change.

Our guest calls for systemic change within global coffee supply chains — emphasizing ethical sourcing, fair trade, and transparency from farm to consumer. Protecting the biodiversity of the Western Ghats requires not only reforesting degraded lands but also addressing the social injustices embedded within plantation economies. Sustainable solutions must integrate ecological restoration with social equity, ensuring that conservation uplifts both people and nature.

This episode challenges listeners to look beyond the aroma of their morning brew and consider its true cost. It’s a deep dive into how the pursuit of profit in the coffee industry has reshaped tropical forests, threatened biodiversity, and violated human rights, and how agroforestry and community-driven conservation can chart a more ethical, sustainable future for both the planet and its people.

About the Host

Anish Banerjee is an early career ecologist, with a MSc in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation from Imperial College London. He is the founder of Think Wildlife Foundation and a biodiversity policy analyst at Legal Atlas. He is also the author of the following field guides:

Field Guide to the Common Wildlife of India: https://amzn.in/d/2TnNvSE

Field Guide to the Mammals of Singapore: https://amzn.in/d/gcbq8VG

#coffee #coffeeplantations #monocultures #monocultureplantations #agroforestry #humanrights #humanrightsviolations #humanrightabuses #humanelephantconflict #deforestation #tropicalforests #westernghats #biodiversityhotspots #biodiversity #biodiversityconservation #biodiversitymanagement #biodiversitypreservation #ecosystemdegradation

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