Honduras - Solidaridad

In Honduras, Acorn is working together with Solidaridad to support farmers and workers in the coffee supply chain. Aided by IHCAFE (Instituto Hondureno del Café), the national governmental organization in charge of providing technical assistance for the coffee sectors in Honduras, we’re reaching 2,645 farmers — with another 10,000 farmers that could potentially be onboarded as well.

Existing agroforestry systems are generally outdated and were created in a first attempt to promote agroforestry within Honduras. Due to a lack of knowledge and expertise, the systems did not use suitable tree species. Consequently, these systems need to be improved by adding new species with better benefits for both coffee production and the farmer. That’s why Solidaridad has developed a specific plan to select specific species based on the region in which the agroforestry system is situated, the height of coffee plants, and the carbon benefits of different species.

These revitalized agroforestry systems are intended to regulate the microclimate, control soil erosion, increase infiltration of water into the soil, provide protection coverage, act as a host for fauna, and lead to better conditions for productivity.

The implementation of this Acorn project represents the first program for ecosystem payment services at a national level. It’s expected that agroforestry will increase and spread within Honduras, which would be further enhanced by the current organizational capacity developed by our partner Solidaridad at a national level. Along with IHCAFE, Solidaridad is able to provide technical assistance, monitor existing agroforestry systems, and secure seedlings.

Additionally, Solidaridad is currently testing out different approaches to reduce the environmental impact of farmers through the treatment of wastewater, a byproduct of coffee processing.

Full project documentation available upon request.