Food and Nutrition Distribution

Ibacem Agricola is located in Juazeiro, Bahia, Brazil where over 1040 workers cultivate mangoes, several varieties of specialty grapes and other fruits and vegetables. The Fair Trade Committee planned for a large scale food distribution project to ensure food security for employees and their families. The goals of providing these baskets is to promote well-being, recognition, and appreciation in the workplace. $97,500 USD in Community Development Funds was invested to the project to several components such as initially identifying eligible employees and quoting and selecting suppliers for basic food baskets. The next phase is organizing logistics for receiving and distributing the baskets and delivering baskets to employees with receipt tracking. At the completion of the distribution, which started in the summer of 2024, the committee will monitor and evaluate the impact on beneficiaries.

Other metrics that the project team hopes to track are reduction in food insecurity among employees, improved quality of life for employees and their families, increased motivation, satisfaction and productivity, and enhanced corporate image as a socially responsible company.