Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- How important is the production and supply of coffee to your country’s economy or agricultural sector?
- What particular regions or areas are known for cultivating or growing coffee in your country?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- alter /AWL-ter/
- link /lingk/
- consumer /kuhn-SOO-mer/
- struggle /STRUHG-uhl/
- conservation /kon-ser-VEY-shuhn/
[verb] – to change something, usually slightly, or to cause the characteristics of something to change
The decision to alter the schedule affected everyone’s plans for the day.
[verb] – to make a connection between two or more people, things, or ideas
The research study linked excessive sugar consumption to an increased risk of diabetes.
[noun] – a person who buys goods or services for their own use
The consumer purchased a new smartphone to replace the outdated one.
[verb] – to experience difficulty and make a very great effort in order to do something
She had to struggle through the dense forest to reach the mountain’s summit before sunset.
[noun] – the protection of plants and animals, natural areas, and interesting and important structures and buildings, especially from the damaging effects of human activity
Conservation efforts have helped preserve the endangered species’ natural habitats and prevent their decline.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
The EU introduced the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), set to be enforced by late 2024, causing worry in the coffee industry. Buyers for the EU are altering orders away from small farmers in places like Ethiopia due to the law banning goods linked to deforestation, a major factor in climate change. This shift might harm small farmers and raise coffee prices for EU consumers, potentially falling short of effectively protecting forests.
Companies like Dallmayr, a German coffee roaster, fear sourcing large amounts of coffee from Ethiopia due to the new law. This law demands importers prove products like coffee, cocoa, and soy are not from deforested areas. Tracing these origins is tough, especially where internet access is poor and land ownership is complex. While the EU wants to assist producing countries and small farmers, there are doubts about its practicality. Major producers like Ivory Coast and Ghana might struggle due to the law’s impact on protected forests. This might redirect goods elsewhere, alter supply chains, potentially reduce the law’s forest conservation goals, and cause higher EU food prices. Overall, the EUDR’s effects are complex, influencing economics, the environment, and society, posing challenges for small farmers and importers while aiming to combat deforestation tied to global trade.
Companies like Dallmayr, a German coffee roaster, fear sourcing large amounts of coffee from Ethiopia due to the new law. This law demands importers prove products like coffee, cocoa, and soy are not from deforested areas. Tracing these origins is tough, especially where internet access is poor and land ownership is complex. While the EU wants to assist producing countries and small farmers, there are doubts about its practicality. Major producers like Ivory Coast and Ghana might struggle due to the law’s impact on protected forests. This might redirect goods elsewhere, alter supply chains, potentially reduce the law’s forest conservation goals, and cause higher EU food prices. Overall, the EUDR’s effects are complex, influencing economics, the environment, and society, posing challenges for small farmers and importers while aiming to combat deforestation tied to global trade.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and when is it expected to be enforced?
- Why are buyers in the EU changing their orders away from small farmers in countries like Ethiopia?
- How might the EUDR negatively impact small farmers in places like Ethiopia, according to the article?
- What challenges do companies like Dallmayr face regarding sourcing coffee from Ethiopia due to the new law?
- What is demanded by the new law concerning imported products like coffee, cocoa, and soy?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you or someone you know been impacted by rules that affect how farming is done internationally, like the EU Deforestation Regulation affecting coffee farmers in places like Ethiopia? If yes, how did these rules change your or their involvement in farming? If not, what do you think might be the impact of these rules on small farmers in countries that rely on farming?
- Have you faced problems making sure the products you buy follow environmental rules, like when purchasing coffee? If yes, what did you do or would you do to make sure your products meet these rules? If not, do you think it’s important for shoppers to think about a product’s impact on the environment?
- Do you think it’s necessary to follow environmental rules, like the EU Deforestation Regulation, even if it causes problems for trade and how products are supplied?
- How can rules like the EU Deforestation Regulation both protect forests and avoid harming small-scale farmers or trade relationships with countries that produce things like coffee and cocoa?
- What do you think is the best way to put rules like the EUDR into action to help the environment without unfairly affecting small farmers or causing problems in global trade for products like coffee and cocoa?