USAID partners with ofi to yield greater opportunities for coffee farmers

London

 

Smallholder coffee farmers in the Junín region of Peru will benefit from a US$8.1 million fund to raise productivity and livelihoods

 

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched a new partnership with ofi (olam food ingredients) – a global leader in food and beverage ingredients – to promote more sustainable coffee production in Peru.

A joint investment of US$8.1 million will fund extension services, infrastructure, certification, and training, designed to improve yields, quality, and access to premium markets for 1,000 smallholder farmers over a five-year period.

 

Peru is known as the largest exporter of organic coffee, but growth is largely uneven across the country. Despite being the principal crop for smallholder farmers in Junín, there is inadequate access to inputs and a lack of technical and managerial capacity, which pose significant production constraints.

 

With combined resources, the partnership aims to develop more inclusive value chains that generate opportunities for 1,000 farmers and their families in the Junín region. These include:

 

  • Increased productivity from training on sustainable and organic farming, GAP (Good Agricultural Practices), and quality testing
  • Improved profitability from training on bookkeeping and better farm management
  • Access to quality and differentiated markets with post-harvest processing workshops and equipment, including solar dryers, composters, and wet mills 
  • Improved health and well-being with medical screenings and nutrition education to reduce malnutrition rates and anemia in young children and pregnant women.

 

Some of this work is already underway, with the installation of wastewater treatment systems on 250 farms, distribution of 150 solar dryers, and farm financial assessments conducted with 100 coffee producers.

 

“In the context of the ongoing climate uncertainty and the pandemic, a traditional crop like coffee now has an even more important role to play in uplifting Peru’s producers,” said Prashant Jalan, Sr. Vice President Coffee at ofi.

 

"ofi already works with more than 10,000 coffee smallholders in Peru through sustainability programs. 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. 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.”

 

Jene Thomas, USAID Peru Mission Director added “This partnership with ofi will improve extension services and access to digital technologies for 1,000 Peruvian coffee farmers. It will help smallholder farmers transition from conventional production to organic production, increase productivity, and improve product quality. By helping these farmers qualify for organic and sustainable certifications to facilitate their entry into premium markets, the partnership will enable them to remain competitive despite international price volatility, thus increasing their incomes and motivating them to continue to pursue licit livelihoods."

 

Discover much more about what ofi has to offer at ofi.com

About the fund

The total USAID and ofi fund for farmers in Peru is US$8.6 million. The balance of US$500,000 will be awarded to Olam Agri as a subgrant to provide education and training to 350 quinoa farmers in Peru's Ayacucho and Apurimac regions.

 

About ofi

ofi (olam food ingredients) is a new operating group born out of Olam Group. ofi offers sustainable, natural, value-added food products and ingredients so that consumers can enjoy the healthy and indulgent products they love. It consists of industry-leading businesses of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and spices. ofi has built a unique global value chain presence including its own farming operations, farm-gate origination, and manufacturing facilities. ofi partners with customers, leveraging its complementary and differentiated portfolio of ‘on-trend’ food products, to co-create solutions that anticipate and meet changing consumer preferences as demand increases for healthier food that’s traceable and sustainable. To subscribe to the ofi newsroom, please visit www.ofi.com (privacy statement here). If you do not wish to receive information from ofi please contact media@ofi.com. Follow @ofi-group on LinkedIn.

 

About Olam Group

Olam Group is a leading food and agri-business supplying food, ingredients, feed and fibre to 20,900 customers worldwide. Its value chain spans over 60 countries and includes farming, processing and distribution operations, as well as a global network of farmers. By re-imagining global agriculture and food systems, Olam Group aims to address the many challenges involved in meeting the needs of a growing global population, while achieving a positive impact for farming communities, our planet and all our stakeholders.

 

Headquartered and listed in Singapore, Olam currently ranks among the top 30 largest primary listed companies in terms of market capitalisation on SGX-ST.

 

Since June 2020, Olam Group has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, a global sustainable investment index series developed by FTSE Russell, following a rigorous assessment of Olam’s supply chain activities, impact on the environment and governance transparency. The FTSE4Good Index Series identifies companies that demonstrate strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices and is used by a variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds.

 

More information on Olam can be found at www.olamgroup.com

Contacts for ofi corporate communications

Nikki Barber

Head of Communications, ofi

nikki.barber@ofi.com

+44 7568 108555

 

Zoe Maddison

Sustainability Communications Manager, ofi

zoe.maddison@ofi.com

+ 44 7825 904234

 

Issued on behalf of ofi by Teneo

OFI@teneo.com

+44 7554 599737