Purdue University is collaborating with Hernán González-Osorio at Cenicafé, the National Coffee Research Center in Columbia, to enhance sustainable farming practices. Cristian Salinas (PhD/Hoagland Lab), a Purdue doctoral student from Colombia, is at the forefront of this initiative. Under the guidance of Professor Lori Hoagland, Salinas is researching the benefits of planting legumes between coffee rows. This method naturally enriches the soil with nitrogen, reducing the need for costly chemical fertilizers. Salinas emphasizes the cultural and economic importance of coffee in Colombia and aims to support small family farms by making coffee production more sustainable and cost-effective.
Read more about the research: Coffee companions—why Colombian coffee farmers are planting legumes.