Tailored Programs

Duration: January 2025 – December 2028 (Phase 2)
Initiator: Tchibo
Realization: Instituto BioSistêmico (IBS) (since December 2021)
Other partners: Coomap, Coopfam, Exportadora Guaxupé, Olam Food Ingredients (OFI), Rabo Foundation, Emater, Universidade Federal de Lavras – UFLA, Instituto Federal do Sul de Minas (IFSMG)
Location: Sul de Minas, Minas Gerais / Mogiana Paulista, São Paulo
Project goals: Adaptation to climate change, sustainable weeds, pests & diseases management, reforestation of native vegetation
Identified challenges: Impacts of climate change

What we do specifically:

Reforestation of permanent protected areas: In Brazil, the protection of water bodies and land areas are legally regulated with the so-called "Código Florestal" (Forest Code). Every person who owns land is therefore obliged to protect or rebuild a minimum amount of area. Together with local partner organizations and Tchibo representative Cassio Franco Moreira, we establish learning communities with the aim of supporting farmers in improving environmental protection. We organize workshops with farmers where they receive information and learn the basics on a theoretical basis. We also go to the farms to put the learning directly into practice: How are these areas measured, prepared, and reforested with plants that correspond to the original vegetation? Together with trainers and equipped with the corresponding seedlings, the young trees are planted - the first steps in the protection and development of the natural water body, and the basis for more biodiversity.

Climate adaptation and resilience: The project has been supporting farmers and trainers by bringing information and sharing knowledge on how to adapt to severe climate. Several training have been implemented, presenting the risks and potential technical solutions to mitigate that. Themes such as soil cover, the use of shade trees, use of wind barriers, and protection of water bodies have been covered. Pilots on the use of shade trees and intercropping coffee with fruit trees, such as banana and avocado are also being implemented with several farmers.

Sustainable weeds, pests & diseases management: Together with farmers, commercial, research and extension partners, we have been developing and exploring practices in order to reduce dependance on synthetic pesticides and herbicides. The focus is always on identifying solutions that are technically efficient and economically viable, also at large scale. The project has been promoting pilots and training on sustainable weeds management, testing alternative methods to control the weeds, such as mechanical control, reduced use of herbicide and the use of cover crops. We have been analyzing the impacts of these practices in soil health, and economic viability. We have also been promoting pilots on sustainable pests & diseases management, where biological products, preventive measures, and other more sustainable practices are being tested and validated by researchers and farmers. Farmers, agriculture students and trainers have been receiving training, and the methods and results are being shared through field days, practical training. Publications are also being developed.

Together for a better coffee economy: In the Paisagens Sustentáveis project, we work with different partner profiles, including two cooperatives, Coomap and Coopfam, and two exporters, Exportadora Guaxupé and Olam Food Ingredients (OFI). This constellation allows farmers to learn from and with each other, to scale the approaches, and to create dynamics that motivate everyone for the topic of sustainability.

What has been achieved so far and next year’s goals: Up to December 2024, around 1.200 small farmers have been trained by high qualified trainers, and also networked with each other through the learning communities. The project has also reached and trained more than 150 trainers and agriculture students. These serve as an environment in which everyone can benefit from the experiences of others. The farmers also support each other, for example, when a helping hand is missing or a technical device is needed. In the 2023/2024 cycle, the project integrated Emater, a Brazilian rural extension agency, which has been supporting the project to train farmers, and develop field pilots on sustainable weed management and the use of cover crops. UFLA has also joined the project to plan and analyze the results of the field pilots, and support on the development of farmers and also scientific publications. IFSMG has also joined the project in 2024, and have been developing the technical content, training and field pilots on sustainable pests & diseases management.The collaboration of the team works very well. Together with the participating partners, we define all important questions - for example, what goals we set, what training is needed, where new seedlings are planted or which pilots (= demonstration projects) are started. It is also important to us to involve our suppliers on site in decision-making processes. Transparent communication between all project partners is the focus. We regularly evaluate and work on a constructive further development of the measures depending on the development of the results. By 2028, our goal is to reach a total of 5,000 farmers. The growth in the number of farmers will mean reaching more farmers with the participating partners, and also bringing more partners, such as exporters, cooperatives and associations to the project.

Duration: August 2024-December 2027
Partners: Expocafé, Cafisur, Coocentral, Cafenorte
Project goals: Reduce water use and water pollution, improve soil health and productivity, adapt to climate change
Identified challenges: climate change, high water consumption and water pollution during coffee processing, lack of measures to maintain soil health

What we do specifically:

Together with our partner Expocafé and the cooperatives Cafisur, Coocentral and Cafenorte in Tolima, Huila and Valle de Cauca, we are implementing the project to increase the productivity and quality of coffee and also the income of the farmers, and to make the cultivation practices as well as the coffee processing environmentally friendly. This means among other things, reducing water consumption and water pollution. Our concrete measures are the following:

In special training sessions, farmers learn about sustainable cultivation practices with the aim of making cultivation and processing more environmentally friendly, promoting biodiversity, increasing the health and resilience of coffee farms and ensuring productivity and quality at a high level. This also includes, for example, training on integrated pest and disease management in which a combination of biological, chemical and mechanical means is used. The safe handling of agricultural chemicals is also part of the training. In addition, the exchange between the farmers should be strengthened.

Selected farmers are also provided with environmentally friendly technologies such as wet coffee processing tanks and green filters that minimize negative impact on the environment. Agronomists support the farmers with the correct use and maintenance as well as with other questions about the cultivation and processing of coffee.

Plans for efficient fertilization are drawn up together with the farmers. To do this, soil samples are taken and analyzed to determine which substances the soil needs.

Duration: 01.07.2024 – 20.06.2029
Project partner: Coffee Care
Locations: Santa Barbara, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Project goals: Adaptation to climate change, income increase, reduction of child labor
Identified challenges: Poverty, emigration, child labor, climate change

What we do specifically:

Increase income: More knowledge leads to more income - this is why Coffee Care and Tchibo in Guatemala offer various training courses on topics such as Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), knowledge of fertilizers and soil treatment, which help to increase the productivity and quality of coffee and which are intended to help adapt to climate change. This can make it possible to improve the income and living situation of local people. In addition, we support the farming families to generate additional sources of income beyond coffee. These include, for example, alternative agriculture projects (based on the Land For Life Project, Honduras - Inga Foundation) or the use of an adapted type of hydroponics. Food is grown here for our own use or for resale. This type of cultivation requires significantly less water than traditional agriculture. The required nutrients are supplied to the peat moss via the water.

Farmers training on coffee cultivation : After several years in the region, we realized that there are different levels of knowledge among farmers. For this reason, we have divided them into different groups in order to best meet their challenges and offer tailored support. The new farmers in our program receive basic training in which they learn everything about coffee cultivation; those who we have been supporting with training for a long time receive know-how in dealing with fruit trees and/or Inga trees. Inga trees are tropical trees valued for their edible, sweet and vanilla-like fruits, as well as their ability to improve soil through nitrogen fixation

Tchibo Coffee Clubs : After several years of working with children and youth in Santa Barbara, it was evident that modern issues such as social media, technology and the online world in general have become the youth's primary interest. When asked about their future, few mentioned farming. Emigration to Mexico and/or the USA is an option for many. If this happens, the coffee supply in the region will be at risk and it is not certain that these young people will see an improvement in their living conditions. Coffee cultivation continues to play an important role in Guatemala and is a driver of the economy, so we would like to start here and offer young people a perspective to stay in their home country and at the same time play an important role in the further development of their country. We train young people at so-called coffee clubs. The topics we teach you in schools range from an introduction to coffee cultivation, knowledge of coffee seedlings, organic fertilizers, knowledge of wet processing and soil health to marketing your own coffee.

Strengthen the development potential of girls and boys: Abriendo Oportunidades is a Population Council program aimed at providing Guatemalan girls between the ages of 8 and 17 with access to education, health care and other continuing education opportunities. After implementing this project with only girls for several years, we decided together with our partner Coffee Care that we would also like to support boys in order to create long-term understanding for each other and positive changes. Over the next five years, we will provide boys and girls with support that is tailored to their needs. Training courses on topics such as leadership skills, health and hygiene, violence prevention and economic empowerment are offered, among other things. The program also aims to increase self-confidence and create a deep understanding for both parties to make long-term decisions for themselves and the community and bring about changes in their lives.

Successes: In the current project we are supporting 3,400 farmers and their families in different ways. Before the project began, Santa Barbara coffee was not in high demand. That has changed since our involvement on site: interest in sourcing coffee from this area has increased. This has also stimulated the economy and prices rise with every harvest. All of this has meant that farmers can produce more coffee on their plots and sell it at a higher price than before. The trainings achieved good learning outcomes - the farmers deepened and improved their knowledge of fertilizers, plantation management, coffee harvesting and processing. This has enabled them to sell high quality coffee. The environment has also benefited as the area is now cleaner and wastewater is controlled. The harvest from our agricultural project with peat moss was very good in the past and has therefore been expanded. In this way, we continue to contribute to improving the nutritional situation locally. Coffee Care has been active in the community for a long time. Against this background, the local people know Coffee Care and the employees, so that there is a relationship of trust and there are fewer teething problems when expanding our joint activities.

What we learn from this program: Where can Tchibo really make a difference? And which measures actually have a positive impact on the supply chain? The focus of future projects should not only have a high impact, but also be directly related to Tchibo's business activities. A basic requirement for implementing projects is that we involve local people in the decision-making process. The fulfillment of their needs must be reflected in the projects in order to make long-term positive changes possible and achieve success. It is important to give people know-how so that they can make their own decisions based on it. We would like to buy the coffee from the farmers we support through our project work so that they have a buyer and we can pass on high-quality coffee to our customers. It is important to take the local structures into account. This is the only way our projects can really change the situation on site. This also applies to family structures. These are different in Guatemala than we know them in Europe. Due to the work with girls and boys, a lot of things could change here in the long term.
We developed the new concept together with our partner and their employees. We see even greater self-motivation and willingness to push the program forward.

PROJECT 1 | San Andrés und Caona

Duration: June 1, 2022 to July 1, 2027
Project partners: Becamo, Inga Foundation
Locations: San Andrés and Caona, Honduras
Project goals: Income increase and adaptations to climate change, childcare
Identified challenges: Poverty, emigration, soil health, child labor

What we do specifically:

Holiday care during harvest time: In Honduras, the harvest season for coffee cherries usually begins in October and extends into February. This period also coincides with school holidays - the result: Due to a lack of childcare options, many coffee farmers have to take their children to the coffee plantations during this time, where they often play unsupervised in the fields or help with the harvest of coffee cherries. Therefore, Tchibo, in partnership with Becamo, creates childcare options. In daycare centers, children are cared for by qualified staff during the day, they also receive meals and have access to educational offers. Since the holidays coincide with the harvest season, teachers are employed in the daycare centers - ideally over the entire project period. This way, we can secure routines and save time resources for organization and training. In special trainings, farmers' families are sensitized to the problems of child labor - conversely, this is also one of the reasons why the daycare centers are well accepted.

Income increase through diversification in cultivation: An important approach to increasing the productivity of the farms - both ecologically and economically - is diversification. For this purpose, Tchibo and Becamo support the cultivation of fruit trees, including avocados and citrus fruits, on the coffee fields. This brings various advantages: The fruit trees provide the coffee plants with necessary shade, which can increase quality and performance. At the same time, the fruit trees secure food for the farmers and their families. They may even become a second source of income. The cultivation of different varieties and the production of organic input also contribute to better biodiversity and soil health, thus making a contribution in the fight against climate change.

Production of organic input: By 2027, Tchibo is committed to building 200 so-called Pulp Handling Booths. These are machines in which organic input is generated by drying coffee pulp - natural fertilizer, which can be used on the fields and also sold. This in turn opens up another source of income.

New paths, new partners: In Honduras, Tchibo began collaborating with the Inga Foundation in 2022, which launched the "Land for Life" project in 2012. The goal: to help smallholder farmers to escape poverty on their own. To this end, the foundation supports smallholders in the first step with basic foodstuffs, in the second step with firewood, which is used for heating and cooking in rural areas of Honduras, and in the third step with cash crops - plants with which farmers can earn money. In addition to coffee, this includes pepper and cocoa. In addition to supporting families on site and helping them to help themselves, these measures have resulted in an improvement in soil quality; this in turn reduces the need for slash-and-burn agriculture. Because: Not through slash-and-burn, but through the cultivation of the different plant species, nutrients are added to the soil, and the soils are also supplied with additives such as potassium or phosphorus at regular intervals. This cultivates a very good, fertile soil in the regions, which no longer needs any chemical additives.

Management Skills: Learning from and with each other - with exercises to strengthen management skills and productivity and quality trainings, Tchibo contributes to increasing the income of farmers on site. The trainings are designed in such a way that interested parties such as neighbors or relatives can join at any time and learn along - because Tchibo and Becamo aim to make coffee knowledge accessible to everyone in a low-threshold way and thus improve the coffee economy in Honduras across the board.

Learning programs for young people: A major challenge for the future viability of Honduras is emigration. Especially young people leave the country because they see no perspective there. One approach to counteract this is to promote the socio-economic profitability of coffee cultivation. This is exactly the goal pursued by IHCAFE. To secure coffee cultivation in Honduras, Tchibo uses synergies with this Honduran institution. Inspired by existing learning content from IHCAFE, we have developed our own program for young university graduates. In a management skills training, the prospective farmers learn about the business of coffee farms and how they can manage them.

Contractually regulated purchase quantities: Coffee farmers can be sure in their cooperation with Tchibo that they will also sell the coffee they grow. Because the coffee purchase quantity is contractually regulated. This gives people in Honduras more planning security.

Successes: In total, 1,612 farmers will benefit from the commitment by the end of the project in July 2027. Becamo itself supports another 3,000 farmers. The trainings and measures are showing success - so far, the productivity of the participating farmers has increased by 10 to 15 percent. Each year, Tchibo expects an average of 206 children to be admitted and cared for during the harvest in the daycare centers. In the first harvest season, 174 children were cared for. What also pleases us is that the daycare centers are attracting great general interest and are a source of inspiration for other projects: A neighboring cooperative has picked up on the idea of the daycare centers and wants to realize its own childcare with support. The partnership with Becamo has always been and continues to be on an equal footing and enables not only the promotion of exchange, but also the building of bridges to other Tchibo projects and the initiation of exchange across national borders. The first step was to link Honduras, Guatemala and Tanzania on the topic of young people and coffee cultivation. Also in the cooperation with the Inga Foundation, it is possible to share competencies, gain experiences and above all learn from and with each other.

What we learn from this program: Diversification is a profitable measure - both for the farmers and for the environment. Therefore, Tchibo wants to work in coffee-like supply chains and promote the cultivation of various types of fruit. Use the know-how of the farmers and integrate it into processes - because then mutual learning becomes possible, from which Tchibo as a company can also benefit. Involve women and young people more in trainings. That's why, for example, trainings are held in the afternoons so that as many interested people as possible can participate. The longer the partnership lasts, the easier the cooperation. A good basis of trust plays an important role for successful cooperation. Come together with partners who share a similar mindset and act on an equal footing. With Becamo, Tchibo has a project partner who is very open to new ideas and approaches and thus continues the joint path successfully. Think across countries and use synergies. For the future, an exchange of various project managers from different countries is planned in order to learn from each other and ensure that mistakes are not made twice.

PROJECT 2 | Lempira, Copan, Ocotepeque

Duration: November 1st, 2024 – October 31st, 2029
Project partner: Fundación Cohonducafé
Locations: Honduras - Lempira, Copán, Ocotepeque
Project goals: Adaptation to climate change, increasing income
Identified challenges: poverty, emigration, soil health, child labor

What we do specifically:

Increase in income through diversification in cultivation: An important approach to increasing farm productivity – both ecologically and economically – is diversification. To this end, Tchibo and Fundación Cohonducafé support the cultivation of fruit and wood trees in the coffee fields. Vegetables are also grown and chickens and bees are sometimes kept. These measures bring various advantages: The fruit and wood trees provide the coffee plants with the necessary shade, which can increase quality and performance. At the same time, the fruit trees and vegetables provide food for the farmers and their families. Under certain circumstances they can even become a second source of income. Just like selling eggs, chickens or honey. The cultivation of different varieties and the extraction of organic input also ensure better biodiversity and soil health and thus make a contribution to combating climate change.

Farmers training on coffee cultivation: More knowledge leads to more income - this is why Fundación Cohonducafé and Tchibo in Honduras offer various training courses on topics such as Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), knowledge of regenerative agriculture and soil treatment, which contribute to increasing the productivity and quality of coffee to help adapt to climate change. This can make it possible to improve the income and living situation of local people. In addition, farmers receive more climate-resistant coffee plants and learn how to handle the by-products of coffee cultivation (pulp and wastewater) so that they can be used profitably (e.g. creating natural fertilizer).

Raising awareness and gender equality: As part of our joint program, experts in human and labor rights, child labor prevention, gender equality and social inclusion will work with the farm families and the trainers to raise awareness of these issues, sensitize them and address issues of gender equality, division of duties the field and at home, shared responsibility, coexistence, leadership, women's empowerment and appropriate workplace conditions. We are planning a variety of models for transmitting this knowledge: forums, podcasts, videos and audio programs in "soap opera" format. In order to promote greater participation of women in coffee issues and consolidate their involvement in their families and communities, it is planned to create a women's network to exchange experiences, information and educational materials and to create closer connections between them.

Contractually regulated purchase quantities: When working with Tchibo, coffee farmers can be sure that they will sell the coffee they grow. Because the quantity of coffee purchased is regulated contractually. This gives the people of Honduras more planning and security.

Successes: We plan to support 900 farmers and their families. At least 675 coffee farms will use agroforestry systems by the end of the project in 2030. 25% of people receiving support are women.

Duration: October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2026
Project partner: City Coffee
Locations: Mbyea and Mbozi, Tanzania
Project goals: Strengthening the next generation of coffee farmers, increasing productivity and quality through enrichment of knowledge, know-how and knowledge transfer for sustainable coffee cultivation
Country-specific challenges: Gender inclusion, climate change

What we do specifically:

Promote young talent & impart knowledge: To strengthen the knowledge of young farmers, Tchibo, in cooperation with City Coffee, has launched Coffee Clubs. These are school clubs that take place at seven schools in Mbyea and Mbozi. They cover content from cultivation to successful sale of coffee. Various modules deal with the recognition of plant diseases, competencies in fertilizers and the appropriate use of water. In addition, comprehensive information about correct pruning and high-yield harvesting methods is passed on. The trainings are not only intended to provide ecological content on cultivation and maintenance of coffee plants, but also to give participants the skills they need to successfully run a farm. Against this background, important aspects such as occupational safety and security as well as management skills are also addressed. The trainings often lead to increases in productivity and quality - an important motivational factor for the students. As part of the project, the parents provide the young people with a part of their farm where they can initially apply their knowledge - ideally, they can take it over in the future and thus secure the availability of coffee in Tanzania.

Fruit project: Between October 2020 and September 2022, an additional project was created as part of the Coffee Clubs. In total, we have planted over 30,000 coffee plants and over 8,400 fruit trees with City Coffee during this period - from avocados to bananas to mangoes and papayas. Of the fruit trees, almost 5,000 were grown at the seven schools, the other part was taken home by a total of 347 participants of the Coffee Clubs. On the one hand, this improves the nutritional situation both in the schools and at the families' homes, and on the other hand, the farmers' families have an additional source of income through possible sales. The diversification of the fields also has a positive impact on soil health.

Successes: In total, Coffee Clubs have been established in seven Tanzanian schools, with a total of 908 students participating. Of these, 240 are graduates, the remaining 668 are current students. Even after graduation, the positive influence of the Coffee Clubs is evident - 65% of the graduates are still involved in coffee cultivation.
The schools have provided land for the Coffee Clubs, allowing students to gain experience and apply the learned knowledge at home afterwards. Win-win: This allows the school to generate additional income, which in turn benefits the schools and students. The Coffee Clubs have great potential: The students learn the proper handling of the plants and fertilizers and bring their knowledge home, where their parents in turn learn from their children. Indirectly, the whole family benefits. The Coffee Clubs concept is attracting interest and we are in regular exchange with local institutions and organizations on the topic.

What we learn from this program: Involving women in the project is a challenge. Of the graduates, 45% are women and 55% are men. In the future, we want to improve gender inclusion and focus even more on integrating and involving all genders. To this end, the Coffee Club trainers will also be trained. Experience has shown that Coffee Clubs work best at schools where the school management fully supports the topic. In personal as well as professional partnerships, misunderstandings and a different understanding of the situation can occur. We had originally thought of using the fruit trees as shade trees for the coffee plants and to promote the diversification of the soils. The fruit trees were partly planted on free-standing fields, as this was quicker to implement. We have learned from this to communicate even more clearly with each other and to be more precise in our respective statements.

PROJECT 1 | Central Highlands | Climate Resilient Coffee Farming

Duration: November 1, 2022 to January 31, 2028
Project partners: Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) or Neumann Gruppe Vietnam Limited, Sustainable Solution Switzerland (DSS), SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
Location: Central Highlands, Vietnam
Project goals: Income increase, environmental protection, measures against climate change
Identified challenges: Poverty, excessive use of agrochemicals, drought and water scarcity, impacts of climate change

What we do specifically

Competence trainings for farmers :Against poverty, for climate protection: In cooperation with the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Tchibo is establishing projects in Vietnam to build competencies for local smallholder farmers. A total of 12,000 coffee farms in Vietnam will benefit from the trainings over the entire project period. The overarching goals of the joint project are: to contribute to income increase, to promote the conscious and responsible use of agrochemicals, to reduce harmful emissions and to minimize the water footprint on site. In trainings on topics such as Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), occupational safety, the use of toxic agrochemicals and possible alternatives, knowledge about fertilizers, Good Farming, cost management or accounting, the farmers learn how to make coffee cultivation as ecological and profitable as possible.

Theory meets practice: The trainings are designed in such a way that knowledge is imparted both with theoretical teaching materials and in the form of practical modules. For this purpose, there are a total of 60 model farms where optimal conditions for coffee cultivation are illustrated. In addition, interaction and learning with and from each other play an important role. The farmers are consciously strongly involved in the trainings. This way, their experiences and feedback also flow into the cooperation and a relationship of trust between the participants and the trainers is established. The trainings are intended for the whole family and take place at times of the day when as many people as possible can benefit and especially women and young people can participate.

Production of biochar for better soils: In a feasibility study in cooperation with the consulting company dss+, Tchibo is testing the use of pyrolysis ovens on coffee farms. Since January 2022, the machines were provided on 20 test farms. With the ovens, the farmers could produce their own biochar from organic waste such as husk and pruning materials. This can then be mixed into the soil as a carrier for fertilizers or compost and contributes significantly to soil improvement. The conclusions of biochar production on small holder farms as well as field trials that is conducted at WASI will be foundational for future perspectives of biochar implementation, not only to reduce GHG emissions of coffee but also to increase the resilience of the supply chain versus climate change and increases the benefits for farmers.

PROJECT 2 | Central Highlands | EUDR Readiness

Duration: May 2024 – September 2026
Project partners: Olam Vietnam
Location: Gia Lai, Kon Tum & Dak Nong Province
Project goals: Environmental protection, traceability, compliance

What we do specifically

Despite the important goal of protecting forests, the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is putting great pressure on (especially) smallholder coffee producers. With the upcoming legislation, millions of small-scale producers will have to geographically localize their farms in order to comply and keep the access to the European market. Complying with the regulations and providing the necessary proof can be a major challenge, especially for the most vulnerable smallholder farmers. Although Vietnam is the largest producer of Robusta coffee, most Vietnamese producers are smallholder farmers, 95% of whom cultivate less than 4 hectares of land.

Tchibo and Olam Vietnam support these coffee producers in complying with the regulation. As part of the project, we conduct training on sustainable cultivation methods, including EUDR requirements, collect geodata and carry out risk analyses. High-risk hotspots are identified in order to conduct further investigations and collect evidence for risk mitigation. For example, we seek dialogue with local authorities to confirm land rights if producers are unable to provide the relevant documents.