IICA and SAGARPA work in reviving the coffee sector of Mexico
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is collaborating with the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) of Mexico, in developing an initiative for reviving the coffee sector in this country. The main objective of this proposal is to improve productivity and, by extension, the living conditions of small producers of grain.
In this initiative they are also involved producers, entrepreneurs and other actors in this sector in Mexico, which aims to move from a production in this year of 2.200 million bags of coffee in 2019 to 4,500 million.
This technical cooperation initiative promotes the creation of a Mexican agency of coffee, with the aim of improving competitiveness, sustainability and inclusion in production chains.
A proposal with that, in turn, the Institute will contribute to achieving goals of the Comprehensive Plan of Care Café (PIAC), who started the SAGARPA in October 2015 and will give priority to Chiapas, Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca and Guerrero, Mexican states that have the highest number of producers in the country.
Production challenges
Among the main challenges which the coffee sector in Mexico must face highlights the need to restore production to supply local demand and expand access to markets with export supply and make efficient use of resources (water, soil and forests), improve sustainable management practices and minimize vulnerability to health and weather emergencies.
One of the objectives pursued by this initiative is to promote full or partial renovation of coffee plantations affected by rust, pruning, and develop community nurseries certified to supply quality plants.
It also aims to manage and transfer to producers technological packages in a standardized manner and accredited by the competent authority; promote health campaigns in coordination with the National Health Service, Food Safety and Quality (SENASICA), and implement the management model of specialized technical assistance, innovative financing schemes in line with the development own coffee plantations characteristics.
This new body to be set up will focus on concrete synergies with all parts of the coffee production chain in Mexico, and position the country in fifth place globally in coffee production.
Source: IICA
