Growing Hope: Towards Resilient, Transformative and Inclusive Food Systems in Northern Nicaragua with Smallholder Farmers, Women, and Youth on the Driving Seat

About the Project

This project will aim to enhance the capacity of “20 de Abril”, a producers organization in Nicaragua, with a goal of benefiting almost 6,000 farmer members and generating overall impact for up to 39,000 people. Importantly, the project is expected to yield several results, including some with transformative potential. For example, 600 farmers will be able to transition towards the production of organic and fair-trade coffee, accessing international markets that pay a differential price by the end of the project. This represents a six-fold increase from the 80 members who currently produce coffee with these certifications.

The PO, in turn, will be able to double their sales volumes in the case of beans and increase by 20-30% in the case of beans, thanks to the larger number of farmers producing organic coffee and beans. In parallel, the project will allow the PO to establish stable and structured linkages to institutional markets for the commercialization of beans, leveraging this demand to provide income opportunities to more farmers. This virtuous circle is key for ensuring financial sustainability, a crucial factor for overcoming the current and future crisis, as well as for sustainable growth. At the same time, the project will increase the extension of land cultivated under practices that protect the environment.

Through agroforestry and sustainable practices, the project will contribute towards biodiversity preservation, soil and water conservation, reduction of chemical usage, and carbon sequestration, thus supporting environmental sustainability.