Mexico - La Laja

Huatusco, in the Veracruz region of Mexico, is home to many coffee farmers. During preliminary meetings and discussions, smallholder farmers eligible for the Acorn program communicated that they were motivated by the idea of being rewarded for environmentally friendly actions — something the Acorn approach, where adopting agroforestry practices leads to income from the sale of carbon credits, is founded on.

The region faces an aging population, worsened by the migration of youth to the United States and Canada or to urban areas, where the average income is higher. Other challenges include soil erosion and nutrient depletion as a result of climate change (and the resulting erratic rain patterns and temperatures), the instability of coffee prices, and the appearance of new pests and coffee-specific diseases.

This project aims to care for the area’s natural ecosystems while minimizing the impact of climate change on both the environment and farmers’ livelihoods, as well as raising awareness among farmers on how to better care for the environment through sustainable, livelihood-enhancing practices. Finally, it aspires to support smallholder farmers’ livelihood through improved yields, diversified crops, and carbon revenue from CRU sales, which would ideally increase youth participation to avoid rural migration and address the lack of available labor.

Full project documentation available upon request.