The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has partnered with Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) to support 1000 smallholder coffee farmers in the Junín region of Peru.
A joint investment of US$8.1 million over five years will fund initiatives designed to improve the farmers’ productivity and access to premium markets. This includes extension services, infrastructure, certification, and training to improve yields, quality, and access to markets, including training in sustainable and organic farming, good agricultural practices, and quality testing.
The collaboration will also offer training on bookkeeping and farm management, post-harvest processing workshops, medical screenings, and nutrition education to reduce malnutrition rates in young children and pregnant women.
“This partnership with USAID allows us to upskill more farmers to produce higher quality beans that will qualify for specialty markets, where prices are higher and more stable,” says Prashant Jalan, Senior Vice President of Coffee at ofi.
“We rely on structured collaboration to scale up our impact and for roasters and other customers, it offers an opportunity to engage with partners on the ground to help drive their own sustainability agendas.”
According to ofi, the coffee farmers will be able to improve their productivity and profitability and gain access to quality and differentiated markets. This will increase their incomes, help them transition from conventional to organic production, and remain competitive despite international price volatility.
For more information visit www.ofi.com