Sierra Piura reforestation project, Peru - Galo Lopez Huaman, Choco community member
Peru is at the epicentre of climate change. Dramatic increases in rainfall are washing away the soil and nutrients on the slopes that coffee grows resulting in lower yields each year.
At Cafédirect we have recognised for a long time that supporting farmers in adapting to climate change is essential to protect their livelihoods and ensure a sustainable supply of coffee. A remarkable example of this is the Norandino (formerly CEPICAFE) cooperative in Sierra Piura, in northern Peru. Norandino is our long-term partner, and we’ve bought their green coffee directly from them since 1997.
Norandino’s crops were being devasted by the climate change in the region caused by deforestation. In 2010, Cafédirect started working with the local community to launch a pioneering project that involved planting trees and provided much-needed income for the community through carbon credits.
The project is the first of its kind, and Norandino has become the first small producers’ organisation to trade in carbon credits, which provided immediate economic benefit to the local community.