Improving Coffee quality in Nicaragua
IN SEARCH OF THE BEST COFFEE
Ever since Nicaragua began participating in the Cup of Excellence contest, many producers that have received support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have been among the winners. This year, 14 of the 25 finalists, including the first-place winner, are producers who have received technical assistance and training from USAID.
The Cup of Excellence is an event held annually in various coffee-growing countries in order to select the best coffees to be auctioned in the international market.
USAID ASSISTANCE TO COFFEE GROWERS
During the last seven years, USAID has financed the establishment of 21 laboratories in Nicaragua for coffee quality control, benefiting 6,000 producers. In addition, 65 sons and daughters of producers have received training as tasters to monitor coffee quality.
Currently, a $5.8 million USAID program is providing technical assistance and training through programs with Michigan State University, the Rainforest Alliance and Technoserve, to various small and medium-sized producers in Nicaragua’s coffee-growing region to improve harvesting, diversification, and processing techniques in order to comply with standards set by the specialty and premium markets. USAID also supports the activities of three religious organizations: World Relief, Catholic Relief Services, and Lutheran World Relief that help producers improve the quality of their coffee as well as promote marketing campaigns with their religious communities in the United States.
RESULTS TO DATE
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For the 2005-2006 coffee cycle, a total of 1,512 micro and small producers that have received technical assistance from USAID had over $8.0 million in export sales.
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It is estimated that at least 3,700 full-time jobs were created with this activity.
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The program has attracted new buyers. Starbucks has contracted a minimum of 2 million pounds of Nicaraguan coffee for the current harvest.
