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  • The groundbreaking initiative will increase access to information and services for 11,000 female coffee growers.

Bogotá, Colombia (March 30, 2017) – The Coca-Cola Foundation, TechnoServe and the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) announced today they will work together to help 11,000 female coffee farmers in the Antioquia department have access to important training, agricultural information and services.

The Project for Empowerment of Coffee-Growing Women in Colombia (Proyecto de Empoderamiento de Mujeres Cafeteras en Colombia) is funded by a $100,000 grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation to TechnoServe, and will take place during seven months.

Women are involved at all levels of the Colombian coffee sector – one of the country’s most important – and their roles in coffee production and community leadership have grown. However, in some regions they still face challenges, including limited access to coffee-farming information training, markets and resources.

The project is designed to address these inequalities in several ways. TechnoServe and the FNC will work together to provide training and other services with a gender-equity approach, focusing on women farmer’s specific needs and encouraging their full participation and leadership alongside men.

The FNC extension workers will apply this reinforced gender-equity approach in meetings with farmers, encouraging women’s participation in rural extension activities and thus empowering 11,000 female growers and their families.

An additional 1,700 women and youth will be trained on the coffee business, with lessons on joint decision-making, dialogue, negotiation, bookkeeping, and other skills. This will provide female growers and the next generation of coffee farmers with an important skill set.

Empowering female growers can have a significant economic impact on farming families. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that productivity on women-run farms would increase by up to 30% if women had access to the same production resources as men. Studies have also shown that adoption of good farming practices and technology increases when male and female farmers from the same household attend training together.

“We’re proud to partner with TechnoServe and the FNC on this important program,” said Helen Smith Price, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation. “By leveraging the collaborative expertise and resources of our organizations, we have an opportunity to provide more economic opportunities for farmers and their families, creating a ripple effect of positive impact throughout communities.”

“Over the 90 years that the Coca-Cola brand has been in Colombia, we have been committed to bringing development options to the communities where we operate. Empowerment of women is a priority within our value chain, and we therefore seek to further strengthen this type of program,” said Louis Balat, General Manager of the Andean Franchise Unit at The Coca-Cola Company.

“As Colombia embarks on a new era of peace, it is more important than ever that women are able to fully share in economic opportunities,” said William Warshauer, the TechnoServe CEO and president. “That’s why we are so excited to work with The Coca-Cola Foundation and the FNC to help equip female coffee farmers with the information and skills they need to dramatically increase their revenue from coffee and improve their families’ lives.”

“For a long time, the FNC has been promoting equal opportunities for men and women in the coffee industry and strengthening women’s empowerment with a gender, rights and family approach. Increasingly more women play a key role in the coffee value chain, from seed to cup, thanks to these efforts. And teaming up with such important partners will definitely help us leverage our work on that route,” the FNC CEO, Roberto Velez, said.


About The Coca-Cola Foundation

The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has awarded over $900 million in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.coca-colacompany.com/giving-back.

About TechnoServe

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions create lasting prosperity for their families and communities. TechnoServe has earned a 4-star rating from independent evaluator Charity Navigator for the last 10 years, placing us in the top 1 percent of all its rated nonprofits. With nearly 50 years of proven results, TechnoServe believes in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

About the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation

Created in 1927 by the Colombian coffee growers themselves for it to represent them nationally and internationally, ensure their well-being, and improve their living conditions, the FNC represents over 560,000 coffee-growing families. A sound and long-lasting institution, it provides Colombian coffee farmers with public goods and services that help them climb the coffee value chain.

Contacts:
The Coca-Cola Company: April Callahan, acallahan@coca-cola.com

TechnoServe: Rebecca Regan-Sachs, rebeccars@technoserve.org

FNC: Victoria Arciniegas victoria.arciniegas@cafedecolombia.com