MAP IT FORWARD Middle East

MAP IT FORWARD

The Map It Forward Middle East Podcast explores the business of coffee across the Middle East, featuring conversations with entrepreneurs, producers, and professionals building the future of the region’s coffee industry. Hosted by Dubai-based Map It Forward founder Lee Safar, each five-episode series highlights one guest's journey, offering practical insights, regional context, and candid discussions that reflect the evolving global coffee landscape. Episodes are released daily at 6 am local UAE time. The video version of the podcast can be found on our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/mapitforward Our website https://www.mapitforward.coffee/middleeastpodcast

  1. EP 949 – Part 4 of 5: The Myths of Direct Trade and Transparency in Coffee - Pedro Manga

    15H AGO

    EP 949 – Part 4 of 5: The Myths of Direct Trade and Transparency in Coffee - Pedro Manga

    Advertising Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Arkena Coffee Marketplace, connecting you to the next coffee harvest in Ethiopia through direct trade.https://arkenacoffee.com/https://www.instagram.com/arkenacoffee/Email: hello@arkenacoffee.com Episode Description: This is Part 4 of a five-part series, Coffee Farms in a Decade from Now, with Pedro Manga from Caravela Coffee. In this episode, the conversation focuses on direct trade, traceability, and transparency. Pedro explains why the number of intermediaries is not the issue — evidence is. From farm gate pricing to data integrity, the episode challenges the industry to move beyond marketing claims and into accountable, traceable sourcing relationships. The video referenced in this episode can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHcN8_F-BZI Guest linksPedro Manga: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-manga-5802b8170/Caravela Coffee: https://www.caravela.coffee/enInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caravelacoffee/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_pedroplanta_/ *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    28 min
  2. EP 948 – Part 3 of 5: Biochar, Carbon Credits, and Coffee Resilience - Pedro Manga

    1D AGO

    EP 948 – Part 3 of 5: Biochar, Carbon Credits, and Coffee Resilience - Pedro Manga

    Advertising Sponsor:This episode is brought to you by The Honduran Coffee Alliance, connecting Honduran coffee producers with global buyers in a fair, sustainable, and commercially viable way.WhatsApp: https://wa.me/50487350786Email: sean@hondurancoffeealliance.com Episode Description: This is Part 3 of a five-part series, Coffee Farms in a Decade from Now, with Pedro Manga from Caravela Coffee. In this episode, the conversation focuses on biochar and carbon credits as tools for resilience — and the risks that emerge when they are rushed into practice. Pedro explains why biochar is not a silver bullet, how carbon markets can become extractive, and why poorly implemented biochar can harm soil biology and farm economics. The episode reinforces the need to centre farmer wellbeing, not financial incentives, in climate solutions. Guest linksPedro Manga: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-manga-5802b8170/Caravela Coffee: https://www.caravela.coffee/enInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caravelacoffee/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_pedroplanta_/ *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    25 min
  3. EP 947 – Part 2 of 5: Deforestation, EUDR, and Coffee Supply Chains - Pedro Manga

    2D AGO

    EP 947 – Part 2 of 5: Deforestation, EUDR, and Coffee Supply Chains - Pedro Manga

    Advertising Sponsor:Future-Proofing Your Coffee Business: Planning for 2026 and BeyondA Map It Forward live workshop for coffee businesses.https://mapitforward.coffee/workshops Episode Description: This is Part 2 of a five-part series, Coffee Farms in a Decade from Now, with Pedro Manga from Caravela Coffee. In this episode, the conversation focuses on deforestation and the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and what it has revealed about the coffee industry. Pedro explains why producers are more likely to lose market access due to supply chain opacity than deforestation itself, and why traceability failures shift unfair responsibility upstream. The discussion also explores accountability, cost, greenwashing, and why responsible production must be paired with responsible consumption if forests are truly to be protected. Guest linksPedro Manga: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-manga-5802b8170/Caravela Coffee: https://www.caravela.coffee/enInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caravelacoffee/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_pedroplanta_/ *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    27 min
  4. EP 946 – Part 1 of 5: The Reality and Uncertainty of Coffee Farming in 2026 - Pedro Manga

    3D AGO

    EP 946 – Part 1 of 5: The Reality and Uncertainty of Coffee Farming in 2026 - Pedro Manga

    Advertising sponsor:This episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world — farm to roastery, direct.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 Episode Description: This is Part 1 of a five-part series, Coffee Farms in a Decade from Now, with Pedro Manga from Caravela Coffee. In this episode, the conversation focuses on the reality of coffee farming in 2026: volatile prices, undervalued labour, climate shocks, and the deeper risk created when uncertainty is pushed upstream to producers. Pedro introduces Caravela’s definition of prosperity, the ability for farmers to plan, save, and invest in the future, and explains why recent price movements have shifted power dynamics for smallholder farmers. The LinkedIn articles referenced in this episode can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pedro-manga-5802b8170_carbonpositive-regenerativecoffee-biochar-activity-7350844046442958848-FmkFhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/alejandro-c-74241a_at-the-world-economic-forum-in-davos-this-activity-7421809360605118465-RwU5 Guest linksPedro Manga: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-manga-5802b8170/Caravela Coffee: https://www.caravela.coffee/enInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caravelacoffee/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_pedroplanta_/ *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    22 min
  5. EP 943 – Part 3 of 5: Geopolitics, Trade Chaos, and Coffee in Colombia (2026) - Augusto Amaya

    FEB 4

    EP 943 – Part 3 of 5: Geopolitics, Trade Chaos, and Coffee in Colombia (2026) - Augusto Amaya

    Advertising Sponsor This episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world — farm to roastery, direct.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 *************************************** This is Part 3 of a five-part series with Augusto Amaya from Arcadia Green Coffee, exploring how green coffee sourcing is diversifying as the industry evolves. In this episode, the conversation focuses on the geopolitical realities impacting coffee in Colombia and across global markets. Augusto discusses shifting trade routes, EUDR compliance pressures, currency swings, and why risk management is becoming unavoidable for producers, exporters, and roasters moving into 2026. Guest linksConnect with Augusto Amaya and Arcadia Green Coffee: https://arcadiacoffee.ie/https://www.linkedin.com/in/augusto-amaya-irecol/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/ WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    31 min
  6. EP 942 – Part 2 of 5: Sourcing Green Coffee That Works for Everyone - Augusto Amaya

    FEB 3

    EP 942 – Part 2 of 5: Sourcing Green Coffee That Works for Everyone - Augusto Amaya

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Arkena Coffee Marketplace, connecting you to the next coffee harvest in Ethiopia through direct trade.https://arkenacoffee.com/https://www.instagram.com/arkenacoffee/Email: hello@arkenacoffee.com *************************************** This is Part 2 of a five-part series with Augusto Amaya from Arcadia Green Coffee, exploring how green coffee sourcing is diversifying as the coffee industry evolves. In this episode, Lee Safar and Augusto discuss what it really means to source green coffee in a way that benefits all stakeholders, not just the buyer. Augusto explains why traditional sourcing can feel like a “black box” for producers, and why transparency must work in both directions: roasters should know who grew the coffee, and producers should know exactly where their coffee is going. They explore how Arcadia’s matchmaking model creates pride, stability, and long-term relationships, and why real relationship-building requires showing up in person, not just sending emails. Guest linksConnect with Augusto Amaya and Arcadia Green Coffee: https://arcadiacoffee.ie/https://www.linkedin.com/in/augusto-amaya-irecol/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/ WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    27 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The Map It Forward Middle East Podcast explores the business of coffee across the Middle East, featuring conversations with entrepreneurs, producers, and professionals building the future of the region’s coffee industry. Hosted by Dubai-based Map It Forward founder Lee Safar, each five-episode series highlights one guest's journey, offering practical insights, regional context, and candid discussions that reflect the evolving global coffee landscape. Episodes are released daily at 6 am local UAE time. The video version of the podcast can be found on our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/mapitforward Our website https://www.mapitforward.coffee/middleeastpodcast