As a response to the devastating impact of Hurricanes Iota and Eta in Central America last November, International Coffee Partners (ICP) provided 40,000 EUR as an emergency relief fund. The funding is assisting affected families in the Western parts of Guatemala and Honduras. Heavy rains, flash flooding and landslides led to destruction of local infrastructure and displacement of thousands. Eta and Iota hit ICP project regions, affecting most of the smallholder families ICP currently works with.
The relief fund has supported a total of 2,400 smallholder families through:
Copán and Ocotepeque, Honduras
Immediately after Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit, ICP provided 1,000 smallholder families in the departments of Copán and Ocotepeque with nonperishable food through close collaboration with the Tri-national Commision of the Trifinio Plan (CTPT), the tri-national body which oversees regional development, USAID, and Goya Foods. Bags containing wheat, beans, sugar, and other grains to feed a family of 5 members for a period of 15 weeks were distributed in the region.
With more than 90% of smallholder families reporting damage in their coffee farm, including a high percentage of dropped cherries, defoliation, and landslides washing entire farms away, getting roads restored became a priority.
ICP partnered with the Honduran National Coffee Fund and supported the reconstruction of main access roads and minor streets of 4 farmer organizations. A total of 9.6 kilometers of road were restored, giving more than 380 smallholder families direct access to their farmer organizations.
Huehuetenango, Guatemala
“However, recognizing that the transmission of diarrhetic diseases due to improper water management was intensified immediately after the hurricanes hit, we decided to focus on addressing this instead.” Water filters were purchased and distributed to 386 smallholder families to improve their access to safe and affordable drinking water.
Hurricane Iota and Eta’s continuous heavy rains damaged important coffee processing facilities that members depend on for their harvest. ICP began working together with farmer organizations in 5 communities to assist with the reparation of these facilities. To date, 7 coffee drying patios and 2 coffee wastewater treatment areas are being restored.
As part of a larger project in collaboration with Healing Waters International (HWI), ICP has provided matching funds to improve the availability of drinking water for 80 smallholder families.
Through the development of intensive infrastructure led by HWI, water supply sanitation in rural, smallholder communities will improve. By the end of the project 400 smallholder families from the community of Cipresales in Huehuetenango, will have access to sufficient, safe, and acceptable water for personal and domestic use.
