As Earth Day approaches, we find ourselves thinking about our holiday donation made to Recuperando mi Cafetal (RMC) through our sister company Becamo.
Recuperando mi Cafetal, or Recovering My Coffee Plantation, was founded in 2015 with the goal of supporting coffee-producing families in the wake of the leaf rust epidemic that decimated 84 hectares of coffee. Now being folded into the larger NKG Bloom initiative, the project implements a holistic approach, focused on “recovering their financial economy, their family heritage and their interest in following the best agricultural practices,” says Becamo. These goals are achieved through free technical assistance and agricultural education, regarding everything from bio-fertilizers and pest and disease management, to vegetable nutrition.
Additionally, Becamo has initiated an impressive reforestation program that includes planting a mix of shade and fruit trees. By diversifying the flora, the project improves the environment (with protection from winds, soil erosion and continuous soil regeneration through leaf litter) while at the same time providing some food security and additional nutrition to coffee-farming families.
In December 2021, InterAmerican made a $2,000 donation that contributed to the reforestation of 1,150 forest and 300 fruit trees. Presently, the nursery is preparing these seedings for distribution so that they can be planted in June just following the rainy season in May. The trees will be distributed to more than 300 smallholders in Lempira, Intibucá (both of which contribute to Honduras NKG Bloom Gea SHG EP Organic), Copán (Honduras NKG Bloom Copan), Ocotepeque (Honduras Coffee Kids UNIOCAFE), La Paz (home of the cooperative that produces Honduras CAUFUL Organic) as well as Comayagua and El Paraíso.
This Earth Day, we feel fortunate to be able to support this important effort to enhance the quality of these amazing coffees. And more importantly, we’re heartened to support the livelihoods of coffee producers and to help them to recover and thrive. •
