project for coffee resilient in central america quarterly report · 2021. 4. 15. · maria cristina...

Project for Coffee Resilient in Central America

Quarterly Report 03 Quarter – April to June, 2019

Submission Date: August 5, 2019

Cooperative Agreement Number: #AID-596-A-17-00002

Activity Start Date and End Date: September 30, 2017 to September 19, 2020 AOR Name: Mary Rodriguez

Submitted by: Luis Alberto Cuellar, Project Director Resilient Coffee in Central America Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture | Texas A&M AgriLife Research 87 North Ave & 13 West #806 Escalon, San Salvador, El Salvador Tel. +503.7680.1133 | Office: +503.2562.1211

Email: [email protected]

This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development USAID/El Salvador Mission.

DISCLAIMER: The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

mailto:[email protected]

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1. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content 1. Table of contents ...................................................................................................... 2

2. Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................................... 4

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 5

4. IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES AND PROGRESS ........................................................ 6

4.1 IMPLEMENTATION STATUS ..................................................................................... 6

Pillar 1: Establishing Research Findings and Business Opportunities ........................ 6

Pillar 2: Demonstrating Climate-Smart Coffee Cultivation ......................................... 7

Pillar 3: Dissemination of Resilient Production and Better Environmental Practices .... 12

Pillar 4: Access to Finance, New Business Opportunities, Employment and Markets... 13

Pillar 5: Strengthening Research Capacities ........................................................... 14

4.2 ME&L PLAN ..................................................................................................... 14

Indicators Progress ................................................................................................ 16

4.3 COMMUNICATION, KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND OUTREACH ................. 19

5. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES and USAID FORWARD PRIORITIES ............. 20

6. Environmental Mitigation and monitoring Plan ........................................................ 21

7. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT .............................................. 24

8. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTERS ..................................................................... 26

Pillar 1: Establishing Research Findings and Business Opportunities .......................... 26

Pillar 2: Demonstrating Resilient Coffee Cultivation .................................................... 26

Pillar 3: Dissemination of Resilient Production and Better Environmental Practices....... 26

Pillar 4 Activities: Access to Finance, New Business Opportunities, Employment and Markets

................................................................................................................................................... 27

Pillar 5: Strengthening Research Capacities .............................................................. 28

9. CASH FLOW REPORT AND FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS ............................................. 28

(PIPELINE – BURNRATE) ...................................................................................................... 28

ANNEX .................................................................................................................................... 29

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Basic Project Data

Program Name: Resilient Coffee in Central America Project

Activity Start Date and End Date:

September 30, 2017 to September 29, 2020

Name of Prime Implementing Partner:

The Norman Borlaug Institute for International

Agriculture at Texas A&M AgriLife Research

Cooperative Agreement Number:

#AID-596-A-17-00002

Name of Subcontractors/Subawards:

CAPUCAS Cooperative

POMONA IMPACT

Major Counterpart Organizations

IHCAFE from Honduras

SALVADORAN COFFEE COUNCIL (CSC)

SALVADORAN ASSOCIATION OF COFFEE

PROCESSORS AND EXPORTERS-ABECAFE

ANACAFE

FECCEG

SWISSCONTACT

COMSA - CAFE ORGANICO MARCALA

COHONDUCAFE

CAFICO

Geographic Coverage

(cities and or countries)

EL SALVADOR, HONDURAS AND GUATEMALA

Reporting Period: April to June 2019

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2. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ACODIHUE Association of Cooperation for the Integral Development of Huehuetenango

ACPROA Cooperative Association of Organic Agricultural Producers El Túnel

AMCES Alliance of Women in Coffee, Chapter in El Salvador

AMUCAFEH Alliance of Women in Coffee, Chapter in Honduras

AMUCAP Asociación de Mujeres Campesinas de La Paz (Honduras)

ANACAFE National Coffee Association (Guatemala)

APOLO Asociación de Productores de Olopa

AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative in USAID

ASCAFE Salvadoran Association of Coffee Tasters

ASOBAGRI Barillense Association of Farmers (Guatemala)

CAFEBAS Cooperative Association of Agricultural Production in Berlin, Alegría and

Santiago de María (El Salvador)

CAFECIBA Cooperative Society of Coffee Growers of Ciudad Barrios de R.L. (El

Salvador)

CAFICO Finest Coffee of Corquín (Honduras)

CAPUCAS (also COCAFCAL) Cooperativa Cafetalera Capucas Limitada (Honduras)

CATIE Tropical Agronomic Center for Research and Education (Costa Rica)

COCAFELOL Cooperativa Cafetalera Ecológica 'La Labor Ocotepeque' Ltd. (Honduras)

COFEAG Cooperativa Fe Empresarial Agraria

COHONDUCAFE Compañía Hondureña de Café

COMSA Café Orgánico de Marcala, S. A.

COMUCAP Coordinadora de Mujeres Campesinas de La Paz

CQI Coffee Quality Institute

DLG De La Gente (NGO Coffee in Guatemala)

ECA Empresa Campesina Asociativa Montellano (Guatemala)

FECCEG Federación Comercializadora de Café Especial de Guatemala

FEDECOCAGUA Federación de Cooperativas de Productores de Café de Guatemala de R. L.

IHCAFE Instituto Hondureño del Café

INLOHER Inversiones López Hernández

NGO Non-governmental Organization

PRCC Regional Climate Change Program

PROEXO Asociación de Productores de Café Certificado Las Brisas (Honduras)

SCA Specialty Coffee Association

TAMU Texas A&M University System

UIUC University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

UNEX Unión Nacional de Exportadores (El Salvador)

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This document covers activities of the third quarter of the FY19, April to June 2019. The project has

prioritized its efforts on the training of producers and technicians about the protocol for the

implementation of demonstration plots, the distribution of coffee plants in El Salvador and

Guatemala, and the establishment of the 2019 demonstration plots at the field level.

The following are the most relevant results:

• Coffee Cloud was launched in Honduras (April 9th) and El Salvador (May 7th), with the

participation of partner organizations from both countries and associations interested

in using the tool. The launching events had a total of 40 participants in Honduras and

112 participants in El Salvador.

• To date, a total of 18 demonstration plots have been established in Guatemala for the

FY2019, with the support of ANACAFE and the producers selected by mutual

agreement.

• A total of 22 demonstration plots have been established in El Salvador for FY2019,

with the support of partners from organizations, individual producers and UNEX El

Salvador.

• The induction workshop on the use of the protocol for the establishment of the

demonstration plots in the current fiscal year was held in Honduras. This workshop

involved 33 people (8 women and 25 men) among technicians and producers who will be

part of the team that will be implementing the demonstration plots in this country.

• The partners have been identified for the establishment of 21 demonstration plots for

FY2019 in Honduras and along with them, the sites for their implementation have

been determined.

• Within the framework of the SCA Coffee Expo 2019, which was held in Boston, MA,

US on April 10-14, 2019, ten (10) representative samples of rust-resistant coffee

varieties and hybrids, selected among the ones promoted by the project, were presented

at the cupping panel organized by the technical team. Approximately 20 people

between buyers and tasters attended the cupping event. Two participating buyers

(Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea of Chicago, and RGC Coffee of Canada) in the cupping

session expressed their interest in knowing the farms where the promoted coffee

varieties came from.

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4. IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES AND PROGRESS

4.1 IMPLEMENTATION STATUS

Pillar 1: Establishing Research Findings and Business Opportunities

On April 9, a training in the use of Coffee Cloud was held in Lake Yojoa, Honduras. The event

included the participation of 40 technical people (33 men and 7 women) representing:

COHONDUCAFE Foundation, Molinos de Honduras - Volcafé, IHCAFE, SWISSCONTACT Project

Progresa, El Zamorano University, CAFICO, PROEXO, INHOLER and Cooperativa CAPUCAS.

The application was presented to the attendees and a test of the use of the rust module

application in the field with the application installed on cell phones was conducted.

On May 7, the Coffee Cloud application was launched in El Salvador. The event was attended

by 112 people participants (82 men, 30 women) among technicians and producers in the coffee

value chain and received the support of UNEX El Salvador and the Regional Climate Change

Program implemented by CATIE Programa Regional de Cambio Climatico - PRCC with USAID’s

support. Beneficiaries, implementation partners and producers invited to the event received an

introduction to the Coffee Cloud App, showing the use of the app as well as their benefits to

their coffee farms.

Within the same event, the attendees received a keynote talk given by Dr. Jorge W.

Arboleda, Scientific Director of the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

(BIOS), Colombia. The theme was “R + D + i Strategies: Improvement Opportunities for the

Competitiveness of Coffee Growing”, and it focused on the importance of collecting and

analyzing agronomic data and other variables in order to cope with the diseases, trends in

pests, increased productivity and other types of analysis to improve the efficiencies of

agricultural production and technical assistance.

On May 8, a visit to a demonstration plot was conducted in Cuzcachapa cooperative in Santa

Ana, El Salvador, with Dr. Jorge Arboleda to show the work done in the field and explore the

opportunities to create a mechanism and/or platform to analyze the agronomic data of the

coffee varieties in the three countries.

Pillar 2: Demonstrating Climate-Smart Coffee Cultivation

El Salvador

On May 30, a total of 21 technicians and producers (20 men and 1 woman) who will participate

in the establishment of demonstration plots for the FY19, were trained in the protocol for

planting and maintenance of the plots. In addition, Leonel Paíz, Nestlé Manager in Guatemala

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and El Salvador and Fredy Ruano, Production Manager of Agropecuaria Popoyán,

participated with their presentations titled “Importance of hybrid varieties in an integrated

scheme of productivity, resistance against rust and quality” and “Production of technified

nurseries, experience of Agropecuaria Popayán”, respectively.

On June 6 and 7, variety and hybrid plants were distributed to the farm producers and producer

organizations in El Salvador that were selected to establish the plots, together with the logistic

support of Agropecuaria Popoyan and UNEX facilities and its technicians. These were

planted in the days following the reception of the plant material with the support of the

technical team of the project and UNEX technical staff and producers duly trained. In total, 22

demonstration plots have been established for this fiscal year (FY2019) with the participation

of new partners. Below is the detail of the producer's name, farm name and location of the

plots in El Salvador.

PARTNER # PLOTS PRODUCER’S NAME FARM LOCATION

UNION DE

EXPORTADORES S.A

DE C.V.

10

Víctor Leonel Rodriguez Portillo El Mirador Chalchuapa/Santa Ana

Ana Yolanda de Sheridan San Judas Chalchuapa/Santa Ana

Jans Carlo Handtke Santa Erlinda Ataco/Ahuachapán

Carmen Elena Álvarez de Ávila Antioquia Quezaltepeque/La Libertad

Siembra S.A de C. V. San Antonio Tepecoyo/La Libertad

Maria Elena Sol Trujillo Amitaba Talnique/la Libertad

Maria Cristina Llach Reyes El Tigre Santiago de Maria/Usulután

Eduardo Schonenberg Hijo y Cia Montebello Santiago de Maria/Usulután

Juan Francisco de Sola El Plan del Hoyo Santa Ana/ Santa Ana

Edwin Donalt Castro Arévalo Nueva Granada Ataco/Ahuachapán

ASOCIACION DE

MUJERES EN CAFÉ

DE EL SALVADOR

3

Maria Elena Botto San Juan Metapán/ Santa Ana

Silvia Schonenberg La Primera Alegría/Usuluán

Annabella Daglio Lictoria Juayua/ Sonsonate

COOPERATIVA LOS AUSOLES DE R. L.

1 Cooperativa Los Ausoles Los Ausoles Ahuachapán

COOPERATIVA

CAFETALERA DE CIUDAD BARRIOS

1

Cooperativa ciudad Barrios

la Cooperativa

Ciudad Barrios/ San

Miguel

INDEPENDENT

PRODUCERS

7

CAYRO S.A DE C.V San Antonio Ataco/ Ahuachapán

Carlos Borgonovo San Carlos San Juan Opico/La Libertad

Dutriz S.A de C.v El Pilón Juayua/ Sonsonate

Bernabé Velásquez Florencia Santa Tecla/ La

8

Libertad

MAGAÑA COFFEE La Esperanza Apaneca/Ahuachapán

Andrés Ramirez Moreno La Esperanza Tepecoyo/La Libertad

Enrique Magaña San Ramon Ataco/ Ahuachapán

TOTAL 22

On the other hand, the demonstration plots implemented in the FY2018 have been monitored,

providing technical support to the producers in the implementation of the protocol for maintaining the

plots and the control of its eventual pest and diseases. The second collection of agronomic data from

the plants of the different coffee varieties was carried out in the nine plots established in FY2018.

These data have been incorporated into the systematized data base that is being built as a

product of all measurements.

Guatemala

A workshop was carried out to train ANACAFE technicians about the use of the protocol for the

establishment of demonstration plots. Thirteen technicians (all men) from the institution

participated in the workshop.

From June 15 to 30, the plants were delivered to establish the first 18 demonstration plots in

Guatemala, with the 5 hybrid lines developed by Nestlé S. A. and a local variety created by

ANACAFE 14 to be used as control variety in-country. All this work was organized with the staff of

research technicians from to the coffee regions designated by ANACAFE and CEDICAFE.

A total of 18 demonstration plots was established with the support of ANACAFE - CEDICAFE in this

country with the participation of new partners for all plots. Below is the detailed information on these

plots indicating the region, number of plots in each, name of the farm and its location.

REGION # PLOTS PARTNER FARMER’S NAME LOCATION

I, San Marcos,

Quetzaltenango

3

Ceylan Ceylan El Quetzal, San Marcos

La providencia

La providencia

San Martín Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango

Cooperativa Comunidades

Unidas

Cooperativa Comunidades

Unidas San Rafael

II. Escuintla,

Suchitepequez,

Solola

3

Moca Grande

Moca Grande

Santa Barbara Suchitépequez

Olas de Mocá Olas de Mocá Santiago Atitlán

Valle de Oro

Valle de Oro

Chicacao,

Suchitepéquez

III, Guatemala,

Sacatepequez,

Chimaltenango,

4

Henio Pérez La Soledad Acatenango

Bernardo Solano Concepción Buena Vista San Martín Jilotepéque

Marco Tulio Escamilla

Finca El Rincón

Villa Canales,

Guatemala

9

el progreso Luis Pedro Zelaya Bella Vista Antigua Guatemala

IV, Jutiapa,

Jalapa, Santa

Rosa

5

Carlos Durán El Carrizal Mataquescuintla, Jalapa

Anacafé Las Flores Barberena, Santa Rosa

Patricia Rios Los Pinos Atescatempa, Jutiapa

Cooperativa Agua Blanca


Santa Cruz Naranjo,

Santa Rosa

Tierra Alta Teanzul Barberena, Santa Rosa

V,

Huehuetenango,

Quiche

3

Alejandro Solís Huixoc La Democracia

Las Codornices

Las Codornices

Piedras Negra,

Huehuetenango

El Paternal El Paternal La Democracia

Between the months of April and May, the data base relative to the second vegetative growth were

collected for the 8 demonstration plots established in 2018.

Honduras

During the reported period, the second measurement of the agronomic parameters and grow

indicators established in the monitoring protocol has continued in the 8 demonstration plots

established in fiscal year 2018, in the different agroecological conditions where these are found.

Additionally, during the period May 13-20, the visits and supervision of the demonstration plots

established in 2018 was carried out by technical project’s staff together with the partners to discuss

and exchange ideas about their evolution and performance in each location in accordance with the

various agroecological conditions.

Coordination meetings were held with Joel Castro, Project Director of the COHONDUCAFE

Foundation, to monitor the implementation of the new 2019 demonstration plots, and with Gerardo

Torres, Coordinator of Sustainability and Differentiated Coffee of Molinos de Honduras - Volcafe, for

the planning of a cupping and quality course in their coffee schools for young people in several

communities where they work with their sustainability model at the world level called “Volcafe

Way"

New partners were identified for the establishment of the demonstration plots for FY2019 in

addition to determining the sites for the implementation of the plots. During June 2019, work was

done on the preparation of the land areas on the farms for planting. These have been selected and

located as follows:

PARTNER # PRODUCER’S NAME FARM’S NAME LOCATION

MOLINOS

5

Fredy Alexis Jimenes El Aparejo Guinope

Maria Yolanda Andara Andara El Paraiso

Ersi Nehemias Naira Valladares Naira Trojes

Delsy Rodriguez Los Corales Teupasenti

10

Acomucap Acomucap Marcala

SWISSCONTAC

4

Neftali Coto Santa Rosa Tepasenti

Carlos Humberto Garcia Buena Vista Moroceli

Santos Heberto Diaz Agua Fria Danli,

Maria Teresa Flores Cruz El Matazano Danli,

INLOHER 2 Rosmery Mejia Santa Marta Lepaera

Anael Lopez El Olvido Lepaera

PROEXO-LAS BRISAS 1 Juan L. Madrid La Laguna Corquin, Copan

COOP CAPUCAS 1 Cooperativa Capucas Cabañas San Pedro Copan

CAFICO 1 Walter Romero Martinez Corquin-Copan

COHONDUCAFE

7

Cesar Serrato El Paraiso El Paraiso

Elmer Jarquín/CAFEPSA El Paraiso El Paraiso

Adán Flores Atima Santa Barbara

Víctor Interiano San Marcos Ocotepeque

Mario Martínez La Campa Lempira

Narciso Perdomo Cucuyagua Copan

Geovany Ramirez Jesus de Otorio Intibuca

TOTAL 21

On June 27, a workshop was held at Lake Yojoa, Penas Blancas, to instruct on the proper use of the

protocol for the establishment of demonstration plots in the current fiscal year. This workshop had

33 participants (8 women and 25 men) among technicians and producers coming from the

partners, who will be part of the technical team that will be establishing the demonstration plots in

that country.

Pillar 3: Dissemination of Resilient Production and Better Environmental Practices

During the April to June 2019 quarter, the following training events were recorded:

El Salvador

- Theoretical-practical training workshop on coffee grafting at the headquarters of Los Pinos

Cooperative between April 2 and 3, in which 25 people (21 men and 4 women) participated, as

representatives of partner associations of the project, as well as the National School of Agronomy

(ENA) and several individual producers. Two specialized PROCAFE technicians collaborated to

carry out the grafting practice workshop.

- A replica of the Organic Production training was carried out at Las Tablas Cooperative on May

26, to which 15 participants (7 women and 8 men) attended.

- On May 29, 30 and 31, two young members from the Las Tablas cooperative (Evelin Noemi

Portillo Urruela and Hosea Antonio Chavez Ramírez) participated in the XVI Central American and

Caribbean Congress of Beekeeping Integration and Update, held at the Hotel Decamerón

Salinitas with the support of the Resilient Coffee project.

- Training was conducted for the establishment of demonstration plots for technicians and

producers in El Salvador, on Thursday, May 30th, with 31 participants (26 men and 5 women).

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- Replica of the Coffee Academy training (basic principles of Barismo and introduction to Cupping)

was held for people linked to the ACPROA association, La Palma Chalatenango, with 20

people (12 women and 8 men), on May 31.

- Training on “The contribution of coffee for the mitigation of Climate Change,” during the

field trip in Ciudad Barrios in conjunction with CAFECIBA to commemorate the International

Environment Day, with partners and producers in the region (Friday 7 June). 280 people

attended, 185 men and 95 women.

- Training Introduction to Entrepreneurship with emphasis on the beekeeping chain taught

and diagnosis process of their initiative by Jorge Luis Rodríguez Pomona Impact`s specialist

in agri-incubator processes, held at Las Tablas Cooperative, Chalchuapa, Santa Ana, El

Salvador, on June 12 and 13. The event had 24 participants (12 men and 12 women) within the

incubation process that has been implemented with this NGO subcontractor in the context

of the project

Honduras

• Training on Gender Equality and Masculinity with the participation of 36 people (12 women and 24

men). The event was carried out jointly with the technical team of the COHONDUCAFE

Foundation in San Pedro Sula on June 12, in support of the design of its work plan for the first

year of a GDA project in coffee supported by USAID Honduras.

Guatemala

• A field day was held in the demonstration plot of the Chuachilil Association, to instruct

several producers linked to the project (14 men and 1 woman) about the

development of the varieties and hybrids established in the area.

• A field day was held in the demonstrative plot of ASOBAGRI, in Barillas Huehuetenango

in which 30 producers (19 men and 11 women) from around the area participated.

During the day, the technician in charge of the plot had the opportunity to talk with the

producers about the experience of organic management with these new varieties

and hybrids.

• A field day was held on the plot of the Entre Volcanes Cooperative in Ciudad Vieja,

Sacatepéquez. The activity was done to teach graduate students (5 men and 5

women) of Texas A&M University and the University of Arkansas about the introduction

of these new varieties and hybrids to small producers linked to the cooperative and to

observe the performance that these plants had shown in the local agroecological

conditions.

• On May 8, 2019, Ramiro Temaj, responsible for organic production of FECCEG,

delivered a replica of organic production workshop to all coffee producers in the

Federation

• On June 20, 2019, Emilio Godínez, FECCEG Beekeeping Manager, who had

participated in the beekeeping training at the CAPUCAS cooperative, delivered the box

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for honey production to honey-producing partners of the Federation. As a result of this

activity, having one more box has the potential of increasing honey production

through the Train-of-Trainers - ToT approach and the know-how disseminated.

Pillar 4: Access to Finance, New Business Opportunities, Employment and Markets

From April 10 to 14, the project staff comprised of Luis Cuéllar, Leo Lombardini and Claudia

García, in addition to two researchers of The Borlaug Institute at Texas A&M University

participating in the topics promoted by the project (Sara Brinkley and Taya Brown)

participated in the Coffee Expo of the SCA 2019 (Specialty Coffee Association). During the

Coffee Expo, the team presented a lecture titled “Lessons Learned from the Implementation

of Coffee Hybrid Demonstration Plots in Three Central American Countries”.

On Sunday, April 14, within the framework of the SCA, ten representative samples of coffee from

rust-resistant varieties promoted by the project were presented at the cupping panel organized

by the project team. Approximately 20 people between buyers and tasters attended the cupping

event. Two of the buyers who participated in the cupping session expressed their interest in

learning more about the areas and the farms where the promoted coffee varieties had come

from. The buyers were: Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea of Chicago, and RGC Coffee of Canada.

As a result of the interest expressed by the buyers in coffee samples presented the cupping

panel, Samuel Sabori of Intelligentsia Coffee visited the Eastern region (Chiquimula and

Olopa) of Guatemala from June 21 to 23 with the purpose of knowing the coffees of the area

and the possibility of buying coffees. A tasting panel was organized by the project staff and

producers’ organizations from the called “New Eastern Guatemala” area with eleven samples

of coffee from the region, as well as a meeting with organizations of small producers and visits

to some of their farms. Mr. Sabori announced his intention to visit the area again in November

2019, based in his interest in their coffees.

From June 12 to 14, the field work began with Pomona Impact in El Salvador, with the presence

of Jorge Luis Rodríguez, specialist in Entrepreneurship at Pomona Impact. He visited the group

of young people from Las Tablas Cooperative to start the work of the joint design of the

business plan of the apiculture chain project. Furthermore, a training on "Introduction to Youth

Entrepreneurship" was carried out, with emphasis on the apiculture chain, as mentioned

above, with 24 people in attendance. In addition, the Participatory Rapid Diagnosis was

carried out on the status of the youth initiative.

After the coffee day event held in Olopa, Chiquimula, in which the Resilient Coffee Project

supported through a technical talk on coffee resilience, producer Joshua Guerra had the

opportunity to negotiate his coffee with Caravela Coffee, with whom he reached an

agreement to sell them a micro-lot of an specialty coffee of the Catuaí variety and a micro-lot

of a specialty blended coffee.

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Pillar 5: Strengthening Research Capacities

Dr. Margenot has been providing field, laboratory, and intellectual support for ongoing activities

at Capucas since September 2018. Since the last activity report, Margenot and his lab have

continued to provide support for soil classification, coffee plant nutrient

status based on foliar analyses, and the design of on-farm trials evaluating biochar in

Capucas. During this quarter, Margenot has continued to provide intellectual and analytical

support from his laboratory for TAMU PhD student Sarah Brinkley on her ongoing

dissertation research at Capucas on biochar and soil organic matter amendment impacts on

coffee plant growth, yield, and quality. Four experimental treatments, including locally

produced biochar, alongside a farmer practice control treatment, were designed with

guidance by Margenot and use amendment compositional data (e.g., CEC, pH, available and

total nutrient contents). These treatments were successfully implemented by Brinkley in

three replicated (see below), fully randomized on-farm trials evaluating biochar and

compost impacts on soil health and coffee yield and quality. In April, Margenot traveled to

the SCA annual meeting in Boston to meet with Brinkley and other collaborators on this

project for in person discussions on research design and related topics. In May, Margenot’s

lab provided analysis of soil and leaf samples provided by Brinkley from an additional

sampling of biochar-based experimental treatments in Capucas for soil health and plant

health parameters. As of June 2019, Brinkley and Margenot have commenced regular

biweekly to weekly meetings to continue scientific discussing and for continuity of advising

on research at Capucas.

Sarah Brinkley’s dissertation research is being carried out in collaboration with the Capucas

team toward the objective of linking soil health to coffee quality. During the April to June

quarter, major benchmarks were met. Brinkley presented twice at Re:co/SCA in April on the

progress and results of research conducted to date. May was dedicated to designing the

experimental soil management trials. In June, Brinkley travelled to the Capucas research site

to collect the 2018/19 harvest’s green coffee and to carry out the application of soil

management trials as well as additional samples collection. Analytical method development

was also conducted during this quarter.

From April 9-15, research was disseminated at the Re:co/SCA specialty coffee conference in

Boston. Two presentations were given. The first talk was a rapid 7-min, short presentation

given by select 2019 Re:co Fellows to the Re:co audience, which consisted of many

stakeholders in the specialty coffee industry. The Re:co conference is noted for being “a

gathering of the greatest minds and most influential thinkers in the coffee industry”. Brinkley

was among the 40 Fellows chosen to attend Re:co and among only 8 speakers selected to

present on a topic of their choosing. The second talk given in the form of a panel presentation by

the Resilient Coffee in Central America team to the wider Specialty Coffee Association

conference.

In May, consultations were made with Chief Agronomist Oscar Ramos on the experimental

design to be applied in June when rain had slowed enough for fertilization. A randomized

complete block design (RCBD) was created for all three research sites at Capucas co-op in

Honduras.

14

During Jun 6-14, 2019, Brinkley travelled to the Capucas where the experimental design was

finalized. Trees were remarked in 3 sites of interest according to the experimental design of

4x4 blocks of 9 coffee plants. Brinkley, and Capucas’ Alex Melendez and Yulisa Tábora, with

the help of support staff, collected soil and leaf samples again. Two sets of soil samples were

taken by Brinkley and support staff from each of the 48 experimental units. One set was kept

on ice for microbiological/ enzymatic characterization and hand-carried while the other was

dried and shipped. Both were analyzed by the Margenot soils lab at the University of Illinois

Urbana-Champaign. These data will present an integrated look into soil health and fertility.

Then, the first of three fertilization events were initiated. Four treatments were applied in

RCBD at the base of each of 432 coffee trees.

Green coffee was also dry milled and packed for transport. For each of the 48 experimental

units, 2 lbs of green coffee were obtained. These samples were sent to TAMU to be sorted for

screen size, primary and secondary defects, UV defect sorted, and frozen at -20°C. Each

sample is now ready for chemical and sensory evaluation. Careful data collection and analysis

will continue going forward to draw conclusions on the ultimate impact of soil health on the

chemical signature of the coffee beverage.

4.2 ME&L PLAN.

Indicators Progress

Performance Indicators Disaggregation Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total FY19

Target FY19

Pillar 1. Establishing Resilient Cultivation Options and Business Opportunities

1.1 Number of technical guides produced

and distributed on resilient coffee

technologies.

N/A 0 0 0

0 1

Pillar 2: Demonstrating Resilient Coffee Cultivation

2.1. Number of demonstration trials of new varieties and resilient management practices as a result of USG assistance

Country, 0 0 40

40 40


Guatemala 0 0 18

18


El Salvador 0 0 22

22


3.1. (EG.11-2) Number of institutions with

improved capacity to assess or address climate

change risks supported by USG assistance

Country, National Governmental,

Sub-national

Governmental, No

Governmental

0

0

2

2

2

3.1. (EG.11-2) Number of institutions with improved capacity to assess or address climate change risks supported by USG assistance

El Salvador 0 0 1

1

15

3.1. (EG.11-2) Number of institutions with improved capacity to assess or address climate change risks supported by USG assistance

Honduras 0 0 1

1

3.2. (EG.3-2) Number of individuals participating in USG food security programs

Sex, country 220 3,199 3,813

7,232 9,000


Male 139 1,998 2,652

4,789 6,750

3.2. (EG.3-2) Number of individuals participating

in USG food security programs Female 81 1,201 1,161

2,443 2,250


Guatemala 24 546 2,123

2,693


El Salvador 186 1,334 552

2,072


Honduras 10 1,319 1,138

2,467

3.3. (EG.3.2-24) Number of individuals in the agriculture system

who have applied improved management practices or

technologies with USG assistance

Sex, country

0

2

35

37

100

3.3. (EG.3.2-24) Number of individuals in the

agriculture system who have applied improved

management practices or technologies

with USG assistance

Male

0

2

30

32

75

3.3. (EG.3.2-24) Number of individuals in the

agriculture system who have applied improved

management practices or technologies

with USG assistance

Female

0

0

5

5

25

3.4 (EG.11-6) Number of people using climate information or

implementing risk-reducing actions to improve

resilience to climate change as supported by USG

assistance

Sex, country

169

905

351

1,425

4,360




assistance

Male

130

400

250

780

3,270

3.4 (EG.11-6) Number of people using climate

information or implementing risk-reducing actions to

improve resilience to climate change as supported

by USG assistance

Female

39

505

101

645

1,090




assistance

Honduras

32

218

26

276




assistance

Guatemala

44

100

58

202

3.4 (EG.11-6) Number of people using climate

information or implementing risk-reducing actions to

improve resilience to climate change as supported by USG assistance

El Salvador

93

587

267

947

16

3.5 (EG 11-1) Number of people trained in

climate change adaptation supported by

USG assistance

Sex, country

86

8

76

170

60

3.5 (EG 11-1) Number of people trained in climate change adaptation supported by USG assistance

Male 63 6 63

132 39


Female 23 2 13

38 21



USG assistance

Honduras 38 3 26

67


Guatemala 24 3 13

40



USG assistance

El Salvador 24 2 37

63

Pillar 4: Access to Finance, New Business Opportunities, Employment and Markets

4.1. Number of public-private partnerships formed as a result of USG assistance

Country 0 0 1

1 2

4.2 Number of producers of high value small (less

than 50 quintals) green micro lot coffee linked to

roasters via direct trade

Country, type of farmer,

$ sales, Quintals

0

0

1

1

3

4.2 Number of producers of high value small (less

than 50 quintals) green micro lot coffee linked to

roasters via direct trade

Guatemala

0

0

1

1

4.3 Number of pilot coffee nurseries of at least 30,000 plantlets created

Country 0 0 1

1 1

4.3 Number of pilot coffee nurseries of at least 30,000 plantlets created

El Salvador 0 0 1

1

4.4. Number of business alliances created between farmers and other links in the value chains

Country 0 0 2

2 4


Guatemala 0 0 1

1


El Salvador 0 0 1

1

4.5. (EG.3.2-27) Value of agriculture-related financing accessed as a result of USG assistance

Sex, No debt, debt 0 0 0

0 $50,000

4.6. Number of new jobs created in the coffee value chain

Sex, country, youth, FTE 0 0 0 0 50


5.1 Number of new research themes generated N/A 0 0 0 0

4.3 COMMUNICATION, KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND OUTREACH

Continuation of the digital distribution of the “newsletter” with project activities.

Giving continuity to the dissemination activity of the project activities, 6 additional bulletins

have been prepared, which can be accessed through this link:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tSU1CnK58C7JTDPtU6bfpAHvcmYCEo5b

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tSU1CnK58C7JTDPtU6bfpAHvcmYCEo5b

17

These 6 newsletters have been sent to project partners by conventional electronic means (email) and in WhatsApp groups.

Re-edition of the dissemination videos of the experiences with the Central American hybrid

in the region of San Pedro Yepocapa, Guatemala.

In the last quarter the final cuts of the videos for social networks were sent to AOR; which

shared them with the USAID El Salvador Communications area who gave their feedback on

them. The edited materials are found in the following links:

The Perez Family – La Soledad Coffee Farm – Acatenango– Guatemala

https://youtu.be/wZRVWAZtcYs

Farmers from ECA Montellano – Hermógenes Montellano, San Pedro Yepocapa

https://youtu.be/mSCjOESW61s

Coffee Farmers from Asociación de Desarrollo Integral – El Nuevo Despertar San Lucas Miramar, San

Pedro Yepocapa. https://youtu.be/r9vBxJMpg7k

Coffee Farmer: Elmer

Gabriel – Chuachillil,

San Pedro Yepocapa;

https://youtu.be/3R6P

j5XGJHU

Support and coordination of the Coffee Cloud App launch event in El Salvador.

In support to the Coffee Cloud App launch event in El Salvador, 2 new banners and promotional

materials were prepared as brochures that can be accessed at this link:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NDs2TX0MOAWexceMs70QqdyoIg6pv2YO

Thanks to monitoring and press management, publications in two national print media were achieved:

https://www.laprensagrafica.com/economia/Crean-app-de-informacion-climatica-para-caficultores-20190510-0427.html

https://elmundo.sv/cafetaleros-ya-tienen-app-que-alerta-sobre-clima/

5. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES AND USAID FORWARD PRIORITIES.

As part of the progress for the incorporation of women and young people in the activities of

the Resilient Coffee Project in Central America, we have the following outstanding

achievements:

https://youtu.be/wZRVWAZtcYs

https://youtu.be/mSCjOESW61s

https://youtu.be/r9vBxJMpg7k

https://youtu.be/3R6Pj5XGJHU

https://youtu.be/3R6Pj5XGJHU

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NDs2TX0MOAWexceMs70QqdyoIg6pv2YO



https://elmundo.sv/cafetaleros-ya-tienen-app-que-alerta-sobre-clima/

18

1. The participation of two (2) young people in the XVI Central American and Caribbean

Congress of Beekeeping Integration and Update.

2. The start of the business plan with the youth of the beekeeping project of Las Tablas

Cooperative in association with Pomona Impact

3. Training on gender and masculinity for the technical and administrative staff of the

COHONDUCAFE Foundation in the context of the work plan of the first year of its

GDA project with the support of USAID Honduras.

4. The establishment of plots with women in areas of farms owned by women, as well as in

Guatemala, 1 and in El Salvador, 7 for a total of 8 plots established with women

farmers.

5. The number of women's wages in the plots has increased.

6. ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND MONITORING PLAN

In the 22 plots established in 2019 in El Salvador, the following mitigation works, and practices

have been carried out, in accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Monitoring

and Mitigation Plan:

1. Construction of infiltration pits (for rainwater harvesting)

2. Use of organic products (fertilizers such as ‘Bocashi’ and decomposed coffee pulp)

3. Sowing of temporary shade (gandul and higuerillo) and permanent shade (ingas and forestry)

4. Rainwater bypass channels

5. Terraces

All this in order to reduce erosion, improve soils and capture rainwater that will mitigate

extreme temperatures during periods of drought and dry season.

In Honduras, the partners continue to implement the environmental monitoring and

mitigation plan. For this purpose, in the follow- up to the partners, the following activities have

been verified: incorporation of improved organic matter, soil moisture conservation, as well as

the planting of Crotalaria (Crotalaria juncea) and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), as a cover

crops to protect the ground.

19

In Guatemala, the following activities for mitigation and adaptation were carried out in the plots established in 2018:

Farmer Location Implementing Partner

Mitigation and Adaptation Practices

ECA Montellano San Pedro

Yepocapa

ECA Montellano Individual terraces, incorporation of mulch,

natural barriers, windbreak curtains,

permanent shade

Asociación

Chuachilil

San Pedro

Yepocapa

Asociación

Chuachilil

Soil cover with lemon tea grass and Brachiaria,

continuous terrace and temporary shade,

windbreaker barrier

Entre Volcanes Ciudad Vieja Entre Volcanes – DLG

Drainage management for rainwater retention

Marianita Chiquimula Mancomunidad Copán Chortí

Drainage management for rainwater retention, permanent shade and banana diversification

La Unión Chiquimula Mancomunidad

Copán Chortí

Soil coverage with endemic plants and grasses,

to increase soil moisture retention,

diversification with banana and permanent shade

El Vergel San Marcos FECCEG Drainage management through ditches for the

use of rainwater and soil cover with endemic

plants, application of organic fertilizers and biocontrol of pests and diseases

Blanca Flor Quetzaltenango FECCEG Plot managed organically, through improved compost and organic water soluble

ASOBAGRI Huehuetenango ASOBAGRI Organically managed plot, individual terraces, windbreak curtains

In the 2019 plots, the following mitigation and adaptation works were implemented:

Region Organization/Farm Location Mitigation and Adaptation

Practices

I

Ceylan

El Quetzal, San Marcos

Excavation of 40 x 40 cm infiltration

pits, incorporation of organic

matter into the soil and planting

along the natural contours of the land.

La providencia

San Martín Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango

Excavation of 40 x 40 cm infiltration pits

Cooperativa Comunidades Unidas

San Rafael

Excavation of 40 x 40 cm infiltration pits

II

Moca Grande

Santa Barbara Suchitépequez



matter, construction of individual

terraces, permanent shade,

sowing along the natural contours of the land

20

Olas de Mocá

Santiago Atitlán



matter, construction of individual

terraces, permanent shade

Valle de Oro

Chicacao, Suchitepéquez

Hole of 40 *40 cm, planting along the natural contours of the land

III

La Soledad

Acatenango



matter, permanent shade, sowing

along the natural contours of the land

Concepción Buena Vista

San Martín Jilotepéque


pits, temporary shade and

drainage management

Finca El Rincón

Villa Canales, Guatemala

Excavation of 40 x 40 cm infiltration pits,

permanent shade, soil

drainage management

Bella Vista Antigua Guatemala Hole of 40 * 40 cm

IV

El Carrizal

Mataquescuintla, Jalapa

Hole of 40 * 40 cm,

incorporation of organic

matter, permanent shade, windbreaker curtain

Las Flores

Barberena, Santa Rosa



matter, permanent shade,

sowing along the natural

contours of the land and windbreaker curtain

Los Pinos

Atescatempa, Jutiapa

Excavation of 40 x 40 cm infiltration pits, permanent shade


Santa Cruz Naranjo, Santa Rosa


Teanzul

Barberena, Santa Rosa


V

Huixoc La Democracia Excavation of 40 x 40 cm infiltration pits

Las Codornices

Piedras Negra, Huehuetenango


pits, permanent shade

management, incorporation of

organic matter, drip irrigation of

rainwater and sowing along

the natural contours of the land

El Paternal

La Democracia

Excavation of 40 x 40 cm infiltration pits, incorporation of organic matter

21

7. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT

An alliance has been initiated with the Latin American Fair Trade Coordinator (CLAC), with

whom a memorandum of understanding is soon to be signed, and with CESPPO (El Salvador

Coordinator of Small Organized Producers), to strengthen small coffee producers on issues of

training, technical assistance, advice and commercialization, with special emphasis on the

work of social inclusion and fair trade. A Forum with young coffee farmers in the framework

of the International Youth Day is being planned for August.

During the networking meeting’s agenda developed at the Coffee Expo SCA 2019 in Boston,

MA, from April 11 to 15, a contact was made with the international firm YARA

(https://www.yara.com/) with whom the team is developing a collaboration agreement for the

donation of fertilizers for the plots established in the project until September 2020. In this

context, there is currently progress in the conversations with Business Unite Latin American -

BULA, except Brazil, with the purpose of gather the necessary information, define the

fertilization plan and conclude the final agreement of its linkage with the donation of the

fertilizers required in the three countries.

During the Coffee Expo SCA 2019 event, a cupping session of coffee varieties and hybrids

promoted by the project was developed based on 10 selected samples from the 28 samples

from the three countries that were evaluated by the Salvadoran Association of Coffee Tasters

- ASCAFE. Tasters from Central American countries participated, as well as some of the project

partners, along with some invited buyers from the North American market interested in

these coffees from the Northern Triangle countries, such as Intelligentsia Coffee, RGC, S&D

Coffee, Caravella Coffee, among others. As a result of this session, some clients expressed their

interest in making a visit to the East of Guatemala. In the case of Intelligentsia Coffee, a visit

took place from June 21 to 23 in the Chiquimula region, with Mr. Sam Sabori. RGC Coffee of

Canada, announced a probable visit for the next quarters.

The contact with the Center for Research in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, BIOS of

Colombia (http://bios.co/) was made possible through its Scientific Director, to get his

participation as a keynote speaker during the Coffee Cloud launch event held in El Salvador

on May 7.

Based on the formal meetings held with the Nestlé Trade Coffee Regional Manager Latin

American and the Nestlé Regional Coffee Manager for Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador

during the SCA 2019 in Boston and Guatemala, an agreement was reached with Nestlé to

obtain authorization for the use of its hybrids in the demonstration plots to be established in

FY 2019 in El Salvador and Guatemala.

http://www.yara.com/)

http://bios.co/

22

During this quarter, agreements were reached with Agropecuaria Popoyán through several

meetings to define the orders of the plants for the three countries, the delivery times, the

delivery and transport logistics with the project partners, as well as the details of the

materials exports and the payment processes of the invoices for each one of the countries.

On June 11, 2019, a work collaboration agreement was signed between the National Coffee

Association - ANACAFÉ and the Norman Borlaug Institute of Texas A&M as implementer of

Resilient Coffee in Central Americaproject, which constituted an important private- public

partnership for the promotion of the activities carried out by the project in the use of

varieties more resistant to rust by producers in Guatemala.

8. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTERS

Pillar 1: Establishing Research Findings and Business Opportunities

- Start collecting information in the field for the sample of coffee producers in the 8

departments identified in Honduras, for conducting the coffee profitability study.

- As part of the accompaniment and support of the project to the Coffee Cloud App

Dissemination and Implementation Plan in El Salvador, theoretical and practical

training will be given to the technical team, heads of commercial agencies and strategic

producers of the UNEX Exporters Union by Mario Chocooj, ANACAFE Specialist, on

July 17 and 18, at the Finca Sisiniapa, Apaneca, Ahuachapán.

- Participation in the II World Forum of Coffee Producers in Campinas, Brazil, scheduled two

(2) visits to PROCAFE coffee research centers in Varginha, Minas Gerais, and the

Campinas Agronomic Institute (IAC), in Campinas, Sao Paulo; as well as visits to coffee

farms verified as Nespresso Triple A (AAA) that have excellent agronomic management

and post-harvest procedures in the states of Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo. This trip will

enrich the project knowledge inventory on the latest improvements in the management

of resistant coffee production, and climate change mitigation works for the benefit of our

beneficiary coffee producers in Central America

Pillar 2: Demonstrating Resilient Coffee Cultivation

- From July 17 to 19 the distribution of plants in Honduras will be carried out for the establishment of the demonstration plots.

- On July 15 and 16, the plants will be delivered to producers in regions VI (Cobán

and Alta Verapaz) and VII (Olopa and Chiquimula) of Guatemala, respectively.

- Follow-up to the sowing of the plants delivered in Honduras and Guatemala by the project's technical team.

23


- During the month of July, a training in organic fertilizer production and pest control for

producers and technicians of the three countries will be carried out in the Capucas

Cooperative.

- During the month of July, a training in lemongrass for producers and technicians of the three countries will be held in Capucas.

- Field day trip to demonstration plots in Ciudad Barrios (July).

- Replica of lemongrass training at Cooperativa Los Ausoles (July)

- Field day trip to two demonstration plots in Juayúa (Agosto).

- Replica of lemongrass training for women members of ACMES (August)

- Field day trip to the demonstration plot at La Esperanza Farm in Tepecoyo, La Libertad (August).

- Replica of organic fertilizer production in Cooperativa El Jabalí (September).

- Field day trip to the demonstration plot at Florencia Farm, La Libertad (September).

- Field day trip to the demonstration plot at La Primera Farm, Santiago de María, Usulután (September).

- Field day trip to the demonstration plots at Capucas and INLOHER (July).

- Replica for organic fertilizer production and pest control training for FECCEG

associated producers (July)

- Replica in apiculture workshop for FECCEG producers in the Quetzaltenango region (July).

- Field day trips to demonstration plots established with CAFICO, COMSA and PROEXO (August).

- Field day trip to the demonstration plot established with Molinos de Honduras – Volcafe (September).

Pillar 4 Activities: Access to Finance, New Business Opportunities, Employment and Markets

- There is a visit scheduled in July with the Pomona Impact Specialist for the diagnosis of

the initiative for creating a network of young agricultural technical service providers

called "Young Resilient Entrepreneurs" conformed by children of producers of the

Cooperative COMSA - Organic Coffee Marcala SA of Honduras.

- "The importance of youth in the coffee chain" forum will be held jointly with the Latin

American Coordinator of Fair Trade (August).

- In July, a visit will take place with the technical staff of Pomona Impact for the

diagnosis of the initiative of the youth of the Entre Volcanes Cooperative who will

work in activities associated with coffee tourism and its commercialization.

- Participation in the National Coffee Congress in Guatemala (August).

- Participation in the XXIV PROMECAFÉ's Latin-American Coffee Sector Symposium

(September) with a stand, presentation of a project research by Sarah Brinkley and

24

participation of the project's technical team to expand the project's contact coffee

network.


In the coming months, Dr. Margenot will facilitate additional analyses of coffee bean samples

for elemental composition and pre- harvest soil and plant samples. Soil and leaf samples

collected by Sarah Brinkley will be characterized for mineral, carbon and microbiological

content in the coming months. Sensory evaluation of the 2018-2019 harvest by the TAMU

panel trained in Descriptive Sensory Analysis.

9. CASH FLOW REPORT AND FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS

(PIPELINE – BURNRATE)

29

ANNEX

project for coffee resilient in central america quarterly report · 2021. 4. 15. · maria cristina...

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