Reviving Coffee in Haiti
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After addressing the most immediate needs in Port au Prince after the January 2010 earthquake, CRS initiated projects to develop rural economic opportunities for small-scale farming families and reduce the pressure to migrate to the already stressed capital in search of a better living. The CRS Mountains to Market program works with more than 5,000 coffee and mango producers in the southern peninsula of Haiti to increase their income and improve the management of their natural resources for the long-term sustainability of their crops. In the region of Beaumont, CRS supports six coffee cooperatives through training on better farming practices that improve coffee yields; ways to diversify their crops for year-round income; leadership and business skills; and assistance in accessing more profitable markets.
While Beaumont is traditionally a coffee growing region, low coffee prices, political and environmental shocks have threatened the production of coffee. Coffee growers have formed into cooperatives to take the lead in their community and preserve coffee as a viable way to make a living. To fetch a better price for their coffee, the cooperatives are taking their first steps to sell coffee directly to buyers and eventually receive their Fair Trade certification. During M2M’s first year, a strong foundation has been built to address ongoing challenges that have the community faces.
[…] Here is a great video on CRS’ M2M Program: http://www.crsfairtrade.org/2013/01/reviving-coffee-in-haiti/ […]