CABEI and the Republic of China (Taiwan) work to improve the wellbeing of regional coffee growers

Tegucigalpa, July 22, 2016.-  In order to provide support to coffee growers affected by coffee pests and diseases and to promote sustainable coffee growing practices in the region, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) received a US$700 thousand donation from the Republic of China (Taiwan).

These resources have been disbursed in the framework of a cooperation agreement denominated the “Pilot Program to attend Populations of Limited Means Affected by Coffee Pests and to Promote Sustainable Coffee Growing Practices in the Central American Region;” its objective is to recuperate the productivity of coffee farms and to foster sustainable and competitive coffee growing practices.

This donation is the first disbursement of non-reimbursable resources from the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to CABEI to finance the technical assistance and support component for coffee growers in the areas that have been affected by coffee pests, diseases and drought resulting from climate change.

The funds will also permit CABEI to provide producers from the Central American region with access to technology transfer, supply of production inputs, tools, credit and technical assistance. Likewise, alert systems will be established at strategic points to monitor the evolution of conditions in the poorest coffee production areas in the Central American region.

Both CABEI Executive President Dr. Nick Rischbieth and the Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Joseph Kuo, agreed that this initiative is a demonstration of a commitment to Central America to contribute to the modernization of the agricultural sector by implementing the Program through the region’s Agriculture Ministries and Coffee Institutes.

The Pilot Program to attend Populations of Limited Means Affected by Coffee Pests and to Promote Sustainable Coffee Growing Practices in Central American Region is being supported by the Republic of China (Taiwan) through its International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF). The funds amount to up to $86.0 million, of which $80.0 million will be destined for financing and $6.0 million for technical assistance.