This grant had a strong first year. It has met or exceeded its 2008 milestones, and is on track to meet its overall goal despite challenges posed by the global economic downturn.
Laying a solid foundation: In less than a year, TechnoServe has built an impressive team of more than 100 people across four countries. It has also done well with gender diversity. Women comprise about 40 percent of the staff—both team members and managers—which is very high for the region.
Farmers are already benefiting, despite a tough economy: Due to the downturn, there is a risk that demand for specialty coffee may contract in the short term. We also expect credit to tighten, making it necessary to look for alternative financing sources to construct the wet mills that help farmers improve their coffee. Nevertheless, we think the grant’s goals will still be met, in part due to careful planning to help withstand and respond to shocks like these. For now, the early results are encouraging: the grant is on track for its key milestones, including the number of wet mills assisted, the number of farmers reached, and the price these farmers’ have received for their higher-quality coffee.
Thinking about the future: TechnoServe has consulted with several experts—including MIT’s Poverty Action Lab and Kenya’s Tegemeo Institute—to carry out rigorous baseline studies that will help them measure and manage the grant’s progress. They are also engaging with local policymakers and coffee industry organizations to strengthen the premium coffee market and ensure coffee farmers can continue to prosper once the grant has concluded.
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