Unless young farmers take on the challenges of coffee farming, and the coffee industry takes their needs and perspectives seriously, “there is no viable future for coffee.”
That’s the position of Coffee Kids, a program of the global nonprofit Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) that provides deep and lasting support to coffee communities—individuals, their families and farmer organizations. The Coffee Kids program offers two-year Rural Business Workshops (or, “business school for farmers,” as it describes it) that offer training, mentorship, access to financing and entrepreneurship skills that young farmers can use to make empowered decisions.
When asked about his experience in the program, one recent participant, Joaquin Adonay Mejia, a 21-year-old from Honduras, shared: “I’ve learned I have the power to make a difference and be innovative in coffee … I can make a difference and offer new ideas for the future.”
This summer, we’re looking ahead to National and International Coffee Day (Sept. 29 and Oct. 1, respectively) and making a plan to—with your encouragement—contribute to the Coffee Kids effort.
Today through Oct. 1, we’re donating 20¢/lb to Coffee Kids, for every pound of Coffee Kids coffee you buy—in addition to the 10¢/lb we pay to the farmers, for every pound of Honduras Coffee Kids UNIOCAFE we purchase.
Young producers and instructors in the UNIOCAFE Coffee Kids program in Honduras.
“These young adults are already creative and motivated, but often they lack the bridge between ideas and action. Experimenting with new techniques and technology in agriculture, building financial literacy and developing a network for collaboration all offer youth new perspectives, connections and the confidence to chart their own courses,” said Joanna Furgiuele, director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives at HRNS.
“When youth have the knowledge and skills to create their own local opportunities, and connect into a global community, they feel secure to build their futures right at home,” she added. “That’s good for coffee, and it’s critical for these communities.”
If you’ve already purchased your Centrals for the year, but want to push our donation higher, we’ll apply the donation to all spot and forward sales—just place your order by Oct. 1!
Have questions about the coffees? Want to learn more about the programs or the young producers? Or want to visit a Rural Business Workshop? Please get in touch: Traders.iacus@nkg.coffee.
And on Oct. 1, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating young farmers—and the strength and passion of our coffee communities, from field to cup! •
#thefutureofcoffee
