Strengthening Women and Youth Coffee Farmers

In the highlands of Chirinos, Peru, coffee farmers face rising risks from climate change, unstable markets, and a shrinking new generation of growers. Women and youth, in particular, often have fewer opportunities to thrive in the coffee economy. To meet these challenges, La Prosperidad de Chirinos Cooperative invested nearly $19,600 USD of Community Development Funds to strengthen economic opportunities for the cooperative's women and youth farmers. The project has created bio-gardens, diversified crops such as cacao and avocado, introduced a sustainable coffee production educational program, and implemented new no-deforestation policies. The initiative is directly benefitting 223 producers, though the impact of the project extends to the region's schoolchildren, families, and the broader community. This current project is helping to strengthen livelihoods today while laying the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable future for coffee production in Chirinos, one that U.S. retailers help make possible every time they buy this coffee.