Empowering Small-Scale Farmers: How Solidaridad is Transforming Coffee Production

Empowering Small-Scale Farmers: How Solidaridad is Transforming Coffee Production

(IN BRIEF) On World Coffee Day, Solidaridad highlights its ongoing commitment to supporting small-scale coffee farmers as they transform into climate advocates and community leaders. Since launching the world’s first Fairtrade coffee in Mexico in the 1980s, Solidaridad has tackled the challenges faced by farmers, such as unstable incomes and climate change impacts. A recent study, The Grounds for Sharing, reveals that while the coffee supply chain has enough value for all participants to profit, farmers often receive little benefit. To address this, Solidaridad employs a “train the trainers” approach, equipping local lead farmers with sustainable practices, as demonstrated in the Amazonia Connect programme in Colombia. Additionally, initiatives like the Café de Mujeres Brisas brand in Honduras empower women farmers through branding and management training. The Climate Heroes programme further enables farmers to participate in carbon markets, allowing them to generate revenue through carbon credits while adopting agroforestry practices. Over 42,000 farmers in several countries have benefited from these efforts, with plans for further expansion, alongside ongoing initiatives to understand and reduce carbon emissions in coffee production.

(PRESS RELEASE) UTRECHT, 2-Oct-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — On World Coffee Day, Solidaridad highlights its enduring commitment to fair and sustainable supply chains for small-scale coffee farmers, emphasizing how these producers are evolving into climate champions, local trainers, and advocates for meaningful change.

Since the launch of the world’s first Fairtrade coffee in Mexico during the 1980s, Solidaridad has worked closely with farmers. Despite progress in consumer awareness and the market for certified coffees, many small-scale farmers continue to face challenges such as unstable incomes, climate change impacts, and limited income alternatives.

A pivotal study, The Grounds for Sharing, commissioned by Solidaridad, IDH, and The Global Coffee Platform, reveals crucial insights about value distribution within the coffee supply chain. Conducted by the independent firm BASIC, the study indicates that while sufficient value exists for all stakeholders to profit, farmers often receive little of that benefit.

Key findings include:

• Value tends to concentrate away from farmers and towards importers and retailers.
• Labor constitutes the largest share of farm costs for small-scale farmers, often going unpaid and unaccounted for, leading to misleading profit margins.
• No simple solutions exist; creating equitable value distribution mechanisms is essential to improve farmer profitability and address the coffee industry’s inherent complexities.

To enhance farmers’ market positions, Solidaridad employs a “train the trainers” approach. Their technical teams enlist local lead farmers to implement low-carbon and climate-smart practices. This method is being applied in Caqueta, Colombia, as part of the Amazonia Connect programme, where 32 lead farmers receive ongoing training and share their knowledge within their communities.

As Deibi Yuliana López, the coffee projects coordinator for Solidaridad, explains, “We provide technical assistance rather than physical resources, which communities find invaluable given the scarcity of expertise in the region.”

Moreover, adding value at the supply chain’s origin offers farmers a competitive edge. In Honduras, the Café de Mujeres Brisas brand exemplifies innovation and collaboration among women farmers, created with support from PROEXO and Solidaridad. This initiative empowers women smallholders through branding, management training, and digital traceability, establishing stable market relationships, including a contract with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Another revenue stream for coffee farmers is found in carbon markets. The Climate Heroes programme assists farmers in adopting agroforestry practices to enhance resilience against climate change. By generating Carbon Removal Units for sale through platforms like Acorn, farmers not only improve their livelihoods but also contribute positively to the environment.

Lorge Javier Lopez Valdivia, a participating coffee producer, noted, “As farmers received their payments, their motivation increased—not just economically but also in their commitment to protecting trees and implementing new agroforestry systems.”

So far, over 42,000 coffee and cocoa farmers in Nicaragua, Colombia, Uganda, and Kenya have been trained in climate-smart practices that also allow them to generate revenue through carbon credits. The programme is set to expand to additional countries such as Honduras, Brazil, and Tanzania.

Understanding and measuring the carbon emissions associated with coffee production is vital for enhancing farmers’ positions. Recent studies in Brazil are exploring ways to reduce emissions and improve soil health through sustainable practices.

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SOURCE: Solidaridad Network