The IIC promotes and defends the coffee throughout the entire production cycle (from coffee plantation and consumption through coffee waste management). We have created an exceptional, cycle of coffee resources management and processing, unique in the world, because nothing is lost, everything is transformed…

In many countries, the primary or even the only method used in treatment of waste is to deposit it in illegal dumps. The waste collection and recovery are, almost  always, based on the informal sectors with no expertise in the matter and adequate resources. Recycling is still  marginal and too often becomes harmful to people’s health. – contrary to the objecitf that should be achieved.

The Institute’s action in the coffee field (and sometimes in cocoa) is to assume, from the countries concerned, an active role in the emergence of the circular economy. This is a way to fight against the depletion of our  natural resources,  to protect the environment and to support the economic development.

This circular economy allows components obtained, including ‘’waste’’ to be reused, at each stage of production, to create recovered materials. They are valued from those three perspectives:

• Recycling of usable materials:  secondary raw materials creation
• Energy recovery:  creation of electrical or thermal energy
• Organic recycling: fertilizers and bioactive compounds production.

The requisite skills necessary for the successful implementation of this result are abundant and varied. In order to reach this goal, the Institute has included in this work the most  modern and advanced laboratory techniques used in scientific research and follows  the progress in ecology and plant physiology, agronomy, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology and physics.

This conception of sustainable production cycle goes against current practices upsetting the ecological balance by depleting natural resources.