Healthy soil is the foundation of great coffee. It affects everything - from plant health and yields to water use, biodiversity and long-term resilience.
That’s why soil conservation and improvement is a key part of our sustainability work with producers. Not as a one-off solution, but as long-term, practical projects built together with the people who grow our coffee.
Below are two projects that share the same goal - healthier soils through organic practices - but are shaped by local needs in Peru and Honduras.
Incahuasi, Peru
Soil conservation and improvement for organic specialty coffee
At the Incahuasi cooperative in southern Peru, the focus is on restoring and strengthening soil health through organic fertilisation and better use of local resources.
What the project aims to do
The overall goal is to preserve and improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil by using organic fertilisers, primarily compost.
More specifically, the project aims to:
- Establish compost production centres using by-products from coffee processing
- Produce blended organic fertilisers adapted to local needs
- Improve soil fertility through regular use of compost
- Reduce soil and water pollution caused by synthetic inputs
Why this matters
Protecting natural resources is a core pillar of sustainable development. Better soil and water management allows producers to improve productivity while protecting ecosystems, improving coffee quality and securing long-term, sustainable production.
Concrete targets
- Restoration of 200 hectares of coffee farms using organic fertilisers
- Installation of 6 composting facilities, producing 60 tonnes of compost
- 360 technical advisory visits focused on soil conservation and fertility
This is hands-on work, rooted in agronomy, local materials and long-term thinking.
Comicovel, Honduras
Strengthening coffee production through organic and environmentally friendly practices
At the Comicovel cooperative in Honduras, the project focuses on improving soil biology, nutrient uptake and productivity through organic methods - while making better use of coffee by-products.
Key focus areas
- Improve nutrient absorption in coffee plants
- Increase production within a sustainable, environmentally friendly system
- Improve soil biology by increasing organic matter
- Use coffee pulp and other by-products to produce organic fertiliser
- Support producers with organic fertiliser to improve farm productivity
How the project works
Organic fertiliser is produced at the cooperative’s own facilities and distributed to 62 member producers. The goal is to improve soil quality, plant nutrition and yields - while reducing environmental impact and waste.
Training and implementation
Knowledge is just as important as inputs. That’s why the project includes:
- Quarterly training sessions for producer groups
- Continuous education over a 12-month project period
- One shared cohort of producers from start to finish
- Combined classroom training and on-farm technical guidance
- Three innovation labs enabling monthly training per group
- Two field technicians leading both theoretical and practical training
The result is stronger farms, better soil health and improved income potential for producer families.
Why we invest in projects like these
These projects are part of our commitment to continuous improvement. They are developed together with producers, adapted to local conditions, and followed up over time.
Better soil is not a quick fix. It takes patience, knowledge and shared responsibility. But it is one of the most powerful ways to build resilient farms, protect nature and secure the future of specialty coffee.
And that’s work we are proud to be part of.
