Starbucks, the Ford Foundation, Oxfam America and CEPCO share an interest in enabling small-scale coffee producers to compete more effectively in the global marketplace and thus have signed a memorandum of understanding. Starbucks and the Ford Foundation, a philanthropic organization that works to reduce poverty and promote international cooperation, have committed $250,000 each to provide technical assistance for the project. Oxfam America and CEPCO will work with farmers to improve their post-harvest quality control techniques, and thus the quality of their coffee.
Oxfam America is dedicated to creating solutions to hunger, poverty and social injustice around the world. Its experience with small-farmer coffee co-ops and Fair Trade coffee has led it to conclude that the cup quality and the perception of quality among coffee buyers can limit the amount of coffee sold at Fair Trade prices.
With more than 16,000 members, CEPCO is the largest Fair Trade coffee cooperative in Oaxaca, Mexico. A portion of CEPCO’s members will participate in this coffee quality project, which builds on CEPCO’s earlier efforts to offer expertise to the coop’s membership that enable farmers to deliver higher quality coffee, protect the environment and increase their incomes.