Beyond improving farming practices, farmer groups can also play an important role in fighting norms within their communities. COAGRICSAL, a coffee and cocoa coop in Honduras, is doing just that. We talk with sustainability manager, Roberto Lopez, to find out about the work they’re doing to stop child labor across the country.
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Going the extra mile: how cooperative COAGRICSAL in Honduras is fighting child labor across the country
Beyond improving farming practices, farmer groups can also play an important role in fighting norms within their communities. COAGRICSAL, a coffee and cocoa coop in Honduras, is doing just that. We talk with sustainability manager, Roberto Lopez, to find out about the work they’re doing to stop child labor across the country.
Voices from the Field
More than just a delicious beverage – insights from Roberto Lopez, sustainability manager in Honduras
We talked with Roberto Lopez, sustainability manager at the COAGRICSAL cooperative in Honduras, about the challenges and rewards of his job supporting coffee and cocoa farmers across the region. He explains their motivations for certification, the role of companies in the supply chain, what’s in store for the future and more.
A cup of coffee with…
Leonie Haakshorst, Program Manager hazelnut: “Changing the hazelnut sector starts with understanding the challenges.”
UTZ’s hazelnut program launched in 2014 and has more than tripled in size since then. Understanding the program starts with understanding the sustainability concerns facing the sector. As we enter our fifth harvest, Leonie Haakshorst, manager of the UTZ hazelnut program, discusses with us the industry’s main challenges.
Voices from the Field
“Market connections built my business” – Juan Pablo Echeverri, Colombian coffee farmer
In the early 2000s, coffee was in crisis. Colombian coffee farmer Juan Pablo Echeverri knew market connections were key to his business success. So he joined the UTZ progam, and is still enjoying the benefits today. “Certification opens doors. It’s up to you whether to walk through them or not.”
The UTZ-Rainforest Alliance merger; a sustainability homecoming
Ria Stout, Chief Regional Officer of the new Rainforest Alliance, wrote UTZ’s first certification standard. She has dedicated her life to both organizations, which are now joining forces to amplify and accelerate sustainability transformation around the world. She sheds her light on the exciting journey.
An auspicious beginning
January 2018 marks an auspicious beginning for the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ, which have just formally merged into a new organization. Han de Groot, the CEO of the new Rainforest Alliance and the former executive director of UTZ, reflects on the shared vision that brought the two organizations together.
4 years in, an update on the UTZ hazelnut program
It’s been four years since we launched our hazelnut program. We check in for an update on the challenges of the sector, what we’ve done so far and how that informs our focus for the future.
New research reveals: climate change in Malawi will make tea harder to grow
Research commissioned by UTZ reveals the difference climate change is likely to make to the tea sector in Malawi up to 2050. Forecasts show it will become harder to grow tea in all production areas.
The new Rainforest Alliance: an update
In January 2018, UTZ merged with the Rainforest Alliance. We are joining forces because we know that together we can have a greater impact, and be a better partner to our many stakeholders. As the new Rainforest Alliance we are now working hard to build our new organization. Read on for an update on where we are now.
Voices from the Field
On the ground in Turkey: Daria’s four-day hazelnut diary
Daria Koreniushkina is back from her field trip to Turkey. After four days of visiting hazelnut processing facilities, farms and speaking with UTZ partners throughout the region, she shares the key takeaways from her time in the field.