Strategies for International Development

In Q2 2022, Strategies for International Development (SID) received $10,000 in unrestricted funding to support various projects taking place as part of its sustainable coffee-growing program in the highlands of Guatemala. These include a partnership with The Ministry of Education to develop lessons for teaching twenty-eight practices for “Graduating from Poverty with Coffee” in primary schools. SID also is working to improve the nine-page description that municipal officials will use for educational purposes in their training with farmers.

Additionally, SID has already begun using business development conferences to reach farmers in levels outside of the original group of early adopters (those eager to incorporate new and better farming techniques). At each conference, early-adopter farmers share their results with farmers in the outlier groups. These meetings serve to complement the work of municipal officials and primary school teachers.

In the area they serve (Alta Verapaz, Guatemala), COVID has been controlled, and municipal officials have now resumed their meetings with farmers. Additionally, schools have reopened and farmers have recovered from the heavy rains of Hurricanes Eta and Iota. These factors should allow SID to regain the momentum lost as both COVID and the hurricanes prevented completion of certain program goals during 2021.

SID helps poor farmers graduate from poverty by helping them build successful farm businesses that increase their income. This includes conserving the natural resources upon which their agro-businesses depend and helping women play an equal role in building these businesses.