#Honduras #Julius Meinl #Ocotepeque #Tchibo #Climate-Smart Coffee

Building a Climate-Smart Coffee Region in Western Honduras

In a groundbreaking collaboration, three prominent coffee companies—Julius Meinl, The J.M. Smucker Co., and Tchibo—along with the independent foundation Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS), have launched an ambitious project to establish a Climate-Smart Coffee Region (CSCR) in the departments of Ocotepeque, Copán, and Lempira in Western Honduras. This initiative aims to bolster the livelihoods of smallholder coffee farmers while fostering ecosystem restoration and enhancing local capacities through sustainable practices.

Understanding the Project

Spanning from 2025 to 2029, the CSCR Honduras project aspires to touch the lives of approximately 4,000 smallholder families, with an anticipated impact on around 6,000 hectares of coffee farmland. The project is open to new partners wishing to contribute to this initiative, amplifying the collaborative spirit at its core.

The partnership builds upon 15 years of field experience through the coffee climate initiative (CC), where these coffee giants have been active members. The strategies employed will incorporate tested climate adaptation methods inclusive of soil and water conservation techniques, coffee agroforestry, erosion control measures, microclimate monitoring, and household innovations like efficient stoves and water-saving devices. The ultimate goal is to transmute vulnerable coffee landscapes in areas close to protected regions into climate-smart, biodiversity-friendly environments.

Focus on Sustainability

Theresa Ruperti, Program Manager for HRNS on this project, emphasizes the pressing need for ecological conservation in the face of climate change. She notes the regular shifts in rainfall patterns and rising temperatures that have diminished coffee yields by up to 30% and pressured cultivation practices into delicate highland terrains. The project endeavors to marry coffee productivity with community resilience and environmental conservation, positioning Western Honduras to serve as a model for sustainable coffee farming within Central America.

Julius Meinl's Global Sustainability Director, Carina Needham, expressed excitement over this pioneering landscape initiative, marking it as the first under the company's Generations Programme. The project stands out for its collaborative approach, uniting various stakeholders to tackle shared challenges at a landscape level. Needham expresses eagerness to innovate and identify impactful strategies that would benefit coffee cultivation, community welfare, and environmental health.

Governance Structure

One of the project’s unique aspects is its governance model, which operates through inter-municipal platforms, bringing together municipalities, civil society, and local entities towards unified climate goals. The Honduran Coffee Institute (IHCAFE) will play a significant role in farmer education, research, and oversight. Additionally, a Community of Practice (CoP) will be established to facilitate coordination and innovation among 25 local actors, thus fostering a community-driven approach to learning and adaptation.

The model aims to not only increase coffee production sustainably but also to empower local farmers—particularly women and younger generations—through enhanced financial literacy, leadership training, and entrepreneurial opportunities. By embedding these principles, the CSCR Honduras project takes a comprehensive approach to sustainable agricultural resilience.

Future Outlook

The collaborative endeavor seeks to not just restore ecosystems but also nurture community-driven businesses, making Western Honduras a prominent player in the realm of climate-smart coffee production. It envisions a future where coffee, communities, and nature can coexist and flourish harmoniously. As the project progresses, it aims to provide a framework for other regions to develop similar initiatives, proving that ecological balance and economic viability can walk hand-in-hand in the coffee production landscape of Central America.