25 Years ICP: What Change Looks Like on the Ground
Over the past 25 years, ICP has shifted from working in many countries to building deeper, longer-term engagement in six regions: Brazil, Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia, Tanzania and Uganda. Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS), which implements and manages all ICP projects, supports this work through country and regional offices, backed by more than 250 staff worldwide, providing the local presence needed to translate ICP’s long-term commitment into practical support on the ground. Across these regions, ICP activities have taken different forms depending on local realities, priorities, and opportunities – but always with one shared goal: strengthening the livelihoods of coffee-farming families. Here are some of the most significant developments and successes achieved across regions over the past 25 years.
How Change Takes Shape Across Regions
Indonesia: From Second-Class Coffee to Stronger Coffee Systems
In South Sumatra, ICP has helped transform a region where coffee was once seen as second-class. When project activities began in 2014, productivity was low and few companies were willing to source directly from farmers or cooperatives. As Arman Ginting, Co-Country Manager at HRNS in Indonesia, puts it, “Today, the situation has changed fundamentally.” He describes ICP as an enabler of systemic change that works across the value chain, driven by support for good agricultural practices, quality management, and market linkages.
Over time, farming families focused on improving existing land rather than expanding it, achieving higher yields and better quality. At the same time, diversification into fruit trees, chili, and other crops strengthened household resilience, while women’s economic role became more visible, with women making up 46% of participants in ICP trainings in 2025.
So far, ICP has reached 19,406 households in Indonesia. By 2025, 32% of farmers kept farm records, 29% had adopted good agricultural practices, and 33% were applying climate-smart practices. This has contributed to farming households reaching on average 77% of a living income in 2024, up from 39% in 2021.
Uganda: Change Begins at Household Level
In Uganda, ICP’s work has shown how much can change when families plan and decide together. Since 2004, the focus has increasingly been on gender equality, youth empowerment, diversification, and climate resilience. As Victor Komakech, Climate Change Coordinator at HRNS Uganda, puts it, the Gender Household Approach has been “one of the program’s most significant achievements.” By encouraging joint planning and decision-making, it has laid the foundation for more inclusive and sustainable household development.
This progress is also reflected in participation: In 2025, more than 50% of participants in ICP trainings in Uganda were women – the highest rate across all ICP regions. At the same time, youth farmer field schools and innovation groups helped young people build skills and start rural businesses. Youth participation in ICP projects more than doubled from 10% in 2024 to 26% in 2025, supported by the deliberate involvement of young people as demonstration plot holders and group leaders. So far, ICP has reached 38,691 households in Uganda, and by 2024 households had reached an average of 46% of a living income, up from 15% in 2021.
Ethiopia: An Integrated Approach to Stronger Livelihoods
In Ethiopia’s Amhara region, the CAFE (Coffee Alliances for Ethiopia) project shows what becomes possible when support goes beyond coffee production alone. Since 2019, ICP has reached 3,029 households through an approach that combines better farming practices with climate adaptation, stronger cooperatives, gender equality, youth opportunities, and more diversified livelihoods.
As Rahel Adugna, Co-Country Manager HRNS Ethiopia, says, the CAFE project has “evolved into a pioneering initiative in the region” by bringing these elements together in one coherent framework. By 2024, 95% of participants had adopted good agricultural and climate-smart practices, contributing to an increase in productivity by nearly 70% between 2020 and 2025. At the same time, home gardens, nurseries, and other livelihood activities significantly improved food security and resilience.
Tanzania:From Shared Knowledge to Stronger Livelihoods
In Tanzania, ICP has helped turn knowledge-sharing into a lasting local resource. Since 2006, it has reached 44,291 households across northern and southern Tanzania.
As Godfrey Wilgod, Climate Change and Agronomy Coordinator for ICP in Tanzania, explains, “one particular strength has been the establishment of sustainable extension services,” particularly farmer-to-farmer approaches such as Farmer Field Schools.
In Mbeya and Songwe, this is reinforced by Youth Farmer Field Schools, which help young people build practical skills and shape the future of farming. Combined with climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, women’s empowerment, and stronger farmer organizations, this has supported more resilient livelihoods. By 2025, 92% of farming families were food secure, and in 2024 farming households reached an average of 48% of a living income, up from 28% in 2022.
Brazil: From Producing More to Managing Better
In Brazil, ICP has helped many families move beyond a narrow focus on production. Since 2001, it has reached a total of 4,760 households.
As Francyelly Lasmar Balduino, Co-Country Manager at HRNS in Brazil, emphasizes, “Many families have learned to look at their farms differently, not only in terms of producing more, but also in managing costs, reducing climate risks, improving coffee quality, and improving their overall quality of life.”
By 2025, 76% of households had adopted good agricultural practices and 72% kept farm records, showing how strongly farm management has become part of everyday practice. This shift has also made farms more resilient through diversification, regenerative practices, and better risk management, while giving more voice to women and young people. In 2025, women made up 36% of participants in ICP trainings, and 19% of farm households had one young person engaged in a community group.
Honduras: Strong Organizations, New Generations
In Honduras, one of ICP’s most important achievements has been its long-term support for farmer organizations.
As Pablo Ruiz, Co-Regional Manager at HRNS Central America, puts it, “when I think about ICP’s work over the last decades, the first success that comes to my mind is the investment in farmer organizations.” This sustained engagement has helped farmers build organizations that have improved access to markets, services, and support, while also creating more space for youth and women.
Programs such as Climate Pioneers have reinforced this by encouraging young people to take a more active role in coffee-growing communities. In 2025, Honduras recorded ICP’s highest youth participation rate in projects at 33%. Another notable result is the role of women: In 2025, they accounted for 49% of participants in ICP trainings and held 42% of cooperative leadership positions. So far, ICP has reached 9,892 households in the region. Between 2024 and 2025, the share of farmers adopting good agricultural practices rose from 58% to 76%, and climate-smart practices from 37% to 56%.
A Shared Lesson Across Regions
These regional developments and results show that progress in coffee farming is never just about coffee alone. It is also about stronger families, more resilient livelihoods, better local structures, and new opportunities for the next generation. After 25 years, ICP’s work across regions makes one thing clear: Lasting change happens where support is long-term, locally rooted, and shaped by the realities of farming families.
