International Development Grant

Promoting Sustainable Economic Growth in Coffee-growing Regions

Project Number: CA-3-D000174001

Status: Closed

Country/Region:

Honduras 50.00%
Guatemala 50.00%

Maximum Contribution: $3,363,725.00

Start Date: April 30, 2014

End Date: October 31, 2018

Duration: 4.5 years

Project Description

This project aims to improve the lives of smallholder coffee farmers in the Trifinio region and other coffee growing regions of Guatemala and Honduras by increasing the productivity of their farms improving the profitability of coffee production and expanding exports to international markets. The project promotes sustainable agricultural practices improves farm management and enables smallholder coffee farmers to increase their yields. The project aims to reduce poverty while promoting environmental sustainability gender equality and youth engagement. Working with non-governmental organizations in the region the project provides technical assistance on good agricultural practices to coffee farmers establishes and strengthens farmer organizations and offers training to promote entrepreneurship among youth. This helps smallholder farmers to benefit from the increased global demand for sustainably produced coffee. The project expects to reach 6 000 smallholder coffee farmers benefitting about 30 000 people (farmers and their families). This project is co-financed by Tim Hortons Inc. and implemented by the Trade Facilitation Office Canada. It expands the scale and reach of the Tim Hortons Coffee Partnership launched in 2005 to improve the businesses and lives of smallholder coffee farmers in the regions where Tim Hortons sources its coffee.

Expected Results

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) coffee farming and marketing has become a more viable and sustainable (environmentally and economically) livelihood activity for coffee farmers/agro-producers both men and women supported by the Tim Horton’s Coffee Partnership in Guatemala and Honduras; (2) increased participation of and benefits for women as well as men involved in coffee production as farmers and in farming households; and (3) increased participation of young women and men from coffee farming communities in economically viable futures.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved as of the end of the project (December 2018) include: (1) US$22 779 900 of coffee was sold through farmer organizations in Honduras; (2) supply chain improvements have provided approximately US$1 400 in additional available income for each of the 7 570 participating farmers in Honduras; (3) coffee valued at US$864 880 was sold through producer groups in Guatemala; (4) throughout the course of the project an additional US$245 180 reached participating farmers in the region equating to approximately US$1 570 of additional available income per farmer; (5) 948 coffee families have adopted actions to promote a greater sharing of responsibilities between women and men in the household; (6) improved agricultural and farm management practices were adopted including environmental sustainability by 3 527 farmers (of which 1 041 were women) in both countries; (7) more than 30 partners (including farmer organizations) have expressed willingness to continue providing employability activities for youth in the selected regions; and (8) 554 (of which 237 were adolescent girls) youth are now taking actions towards increasing their employability by using skills and experience acquired through the project. These results contributed to reducing poverty in Guatemala and Honduras through an increase in the value generated from international exports by women and men small-holder coffee farmers and members of their households.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
TFO Canada

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Vocational training 12%
Advanced technical and managerial training 13%
Agro-industries 30%
Trade facilitation 10%
Trade education/training 10%
Environmental education/training 15%
Environmental research 10%

Aid Type: Project-type interventions

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Unsolicited Proposal

Policy Markers
Level 1 Gender equality
Level 1 Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting)
Level 1 Participatory development and good governance
Level 2 Trade development
Level 1 Climate Change Adaptation
Level 1 Youth Issues
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2014-04-01 to 2015-03-31 $3,363,725 CAD
Geographic Information
945";Budget Type:Original;Start Date:2015-04-01;End Date:2016-03-31;Value Date:2014-04-30;Value:"$863
Reference ID: 197