The Honduras Sustainable Coffee Platform (PCSH) successfully hosted its first Sustainability Forum during October. Read the highlights of the event that brought local and international stakeholders together to share ideas, identify challenges and work together on solutions.
The Honduras Sustainable Coffee Platform (PCSH) successfully hosted its first Sustainability Forum over four days in mid-October, bringing local and international stakeholders together in what GCP Country Manager Honduras Guillermo Alvarado says is a “meaningful step on the journey to sustainable coffee for our country”.
The online event, sponsored by GCP, Rainforest Alliance and Solidaridad, titled ‘Informational Sessions on Existing Sustainability Initiatives’ allowed participants to share ideas, identify challenges and work together towards solutions. Key issues discussed included economic viability of coffee farming in Honduras, climate-smart agriculture practices, strategies to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and the evolution of social/labor conditions and regulations impacting the Honduran coffee sector.
“Convening platforms in coffee-producing countries helps effectively accelerate knowledge exchange and growth,” explains Alvarado.
“There is a need to better organize knowledge flows with actors in the field, especially farmers, logistical supporters, technicians and traders. The Honduras Platform’s first annual Sustainability Forum helped meet the need to work together on forging a collaborative path to sustainability for the Honduran coffee sector.”
The Sustainability Forum shed light on potential opportunities for GCP Collective Action Initiatives. Going forward, the Honduras Country Platform will host at least two workshops based on key issues identified during the week. Keep an eye on the Platform’s Facebook page (Plataforma de Café Sostenible de Honduras) for more information.
“In spite of it being a difficult year in many areas, 2020 has proven to be a year of growth for the Honduras Platform,” said Melissa Salazar, Program Manager – Countries at GCP. “Members of the platform are currently working on developing their National Sustainability Curriculum, and the Platform’s webpage will be launched by the end of the year. The Sustainability Forum came at a perfect time to energize these worthy efforts.”
In total, 18 experts contributed to the forum’s success with lively and informative presentations for an audience including technicians and leading farmers in Honduras:
Texas A&M’s Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) Foundation, Becamo, Fundación COHONDUCAFE, Olam, Rainforest Alliance, Government of Honduras’ Ministry of Labor, National Coffee Council (CONACAFE), and the Honduran Coffee Institute (IHCAFE).
There were also contributions from: 18 Conejo, Marcala Appellation of Origin Association, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the Regional Organization for Animal and Plant Health (OIRSA) and the International Labor Organization (ILO).
