Food Security Solutions

Foro de Seguridad Alimentaria

Many coffee growing communities are vulnerable to seasonal food shortages, commonly referred to as “los meses flacos”--the thin months. This period of time occurs a few months after the coffee harvest, when earnings are depleted and corn, bean, and other staple food prices are high. Sustainable Harvest has begun to address this issue in our partner communities with an annual event called Food Security Solutions.

This event offers hands-on workshops in technical skills that can contribute to a family's increased food security, including family gardening, mushroom cultivation, rainwater harvesting, organic fertilizer production, and beekeeping. Each of these topics is complementary to coffee agroforestry systems and highly relevant to smallholder coffee farmers looking to diversify their incomes and improve food crop production.

The First Food Security Solutions event was held in Nicaragua in 2010. More than 60 farmers and agronomists from Latin America participated before returning to their local communities to share best practices. Read the short article that Michael Sheridan of Catholic Relief Services wrote in Fresh Cup Magazine about Food Security Solutions after he participated in the training event.

The second Food Security Solutions event was held in Moyobamba, Peru in 2010. The event was specifically geared to strengthen the capacity of women in coffee communities, and features hands-on training in nutrition, family gardens, sanitation, and clean water.