- Honduran coffee producer increased productivity on his coffee farm thanks to practices learned in MOCCA training.
- In Honduras, MOCCA has the support of the Dutch company Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE), which owns numerous beverage brands (coffee, tea and hot chocolate).
- In partnership with the Montecristo Coffee Beneficio S.A. (Becamo), technical assistance is provided to more than 4,900 coffee growers in Honduras.
In the hills of Teupasenti, El Paraíso, Honduras, Ciriaco Martínez Banegas, a 62-year-old coffee producer, has dedicated more than three decades of his life to a passion he has inherited and cultivated: coffee. Since he started with one acre of land in 1987, he has worked tirelessly to transform his dream into reality. Today, his farm spans 15 acres, the fruit of his effort and commitment.
Ciriaco enjoys every stage of the process, from planting to harvesting and selling, although the road has not always been easy. He has faced challenges such as climate change, pests, high input costs, and labor shortages. However, his determination led him to join the MOCCA program in 2021, seeking new knowledge to overcome these barriers.
In MOCCA trainings, he learned innovative practices such as tissue management, composting from coffee pulp, and the correct application of fertilizers. These lessons not only strengthened the health of their crops, but also increased their yields.
“My productivity has increased! Before I was harvesting 260 quintals and now I am harvesting 329 quintals of coffee!
Ciriaco Martínez
Coffee producer
El Paraiso, Honduras
With the profits, Ciriaco has built a warehouse to store supplies, installed electricity in more areas of his house and drilled a well to guarantee drinking water for his family.
MOCCA is a 7-year initiative funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Food for Progress Program, which seeks to improve agricultural productivity and expand trade in agricultural products. The MOCCA project is being executed by a consortium led by TechnoServe. Lutheran World Relief leads the cocoa activities.
In addition, thanks to the alliance between MOCCA and Becamo, Ciriaco obtained a loan of 250 thousand lempiras, which he has invested in inputs and soil improvements on his farm. Selflessly, he shares his learnings with neighbors and family, becoming a reference for his community.
As the father of seven children, whose ages range from 26 to 44 years, Ciriaco also dreams of leaving them a legacy of work and values. His story is an example of how effort, training and opportunities can transform lives in the heart of Honduras.
