- Coffee producers in Huehuetenango increased their productivity by 40% thanks to the practices learned in MOCCA training.
- In Huehuetenango, MOCCA works in partnership with the company ofi, to train more than 9,800 coffee producers in good agricultural practices and facilitate access to better markets.
Oscar Perez and Maria Diaz, a hard-working, dreamy couple, live with their two children in San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango, Guatemala. For years they worked as employees on a coffee farm, but they always longed for something more: to have their own coffee plantation.
After a decade of effort and savings, they managed to acquire their own farm. However, turning that dream into a sustainable source of income presented challenges. “We knew some empirical practices, but we lacked technical knowledge to improve our productivity,” Maria recalls.
In the first years, they faced difficulties with fertilization and management of their plantation. “For example, before we did not know how to fertilize correctly, we damaged the roots and that reduced our productivity. In addition, we spent more money than necessary,” says Maria.
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.
Oscar and Maria joined the MOCCA program motivated by the desire to acquire new technical knowledge that would allow them to improve the management of their coffee plantation. They learned pruning and fertilization techniques, which significantly improved the health and yield of their plants. They also implemented an organic fertilizer laboratory on their farm, producing natural fertilizers that reduced costs and improved the quality of their coffee.
“We used to harvest 14 quintals of parchment coffee per manzana. In the last harvest we reached 20 quintals, and this year we hope to reach 24,” says Oscar proudly..
Thanks to this growth, Oscar and Maria have been able to invest in their home, ensure better nutrition and provide quality education for their children. For them, their farm is not just a business, but a family legacy and an example of how effort and planning can transform lives.
Oscar and Maria have not only achieved their dream, but have become an inspiration for other producers in their community, showing that knowledge and dedication can open new doors.
