Providing Opportunities for Youth and Women Through Coffee in Eastern Guatemala

TechnoServe together with the Trade Facilitation Office of Canada, Global Affairs Canada, and Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons is implementing a four-year initiative to train 1,000 farmers in agronomic and sustainability practices in eastern Guatemala and improve their productivity by 25 percent.

In addition to training farmers in best agronomic and climate-smart practices, the project is piloting innovative approaches to strengthen the sector by integrating women and youth into the supply chain and by strengthening farmer organizations. To date, the project has surpassed its initial goal by providing training to more than 1,000 farmers, who have increased their use of best agronomic practices to more than 80 percent, helping to boost their yields by an average of 15 percent. Half of the project participants are women, and coffee households are working to improve how they share decision-making and other responsibilities between men and women. TechnoServe has also supported more than 200 youth to improve their future livelihoods by training them in farming as a business, entrepreneurship, and accessing formal employment opportunities.