Vegetable planting kits for the women of Assodantas Association

Despite Brazil remaining a key player in the coffee industry, many communities are faced with social and economic challenges; several of which were heightened following the Covid-19 pandemic. Food security remains a challenge for many families due to the rising cost of living, which when combined with the number of low-income families in the area, means that the guarantee of food is not certain.

Taylors have had a relationship with the Assodantas Association for nearly a decade and we’ve collaborated on many value chain investment projects together, from a project in 2016 which aimed to protect local water ways through the management of solid waste, to a Septic Tank Improvement project in in 2014, which helped Córrego D’Antas to avoid waste being dropped into the córrego – the small river running through their town.

Taylors has invested £5,000 into providing 14 female members of Assodantas Association with vegetable planting kits, and training on how to best utilise them. A bag of organic fertilizer, prepared with coffee straw generated by Assodantas, has also been provided by a local cooperative to protect and preserve the soil. The produce from their vegetable gardens will be bought by the government as part of the PAA government food security programme and the food will be distributed to local charities helping to tackle food insecurity. 

Through carrying out this project, we are hoping to achieve an improved sense of empowerment within the women of the Assodantas Association. We also hope to see the further benefits to their families from the additional income, as well as helping to improve food security for the local community surrounding Poços de Caldas. The overall impact on average incomes of the members will be measured over time. We hope that the project will have long-term positive effects, such as the development of collective work, learning from each other and sharing experiences, and increased long-term financial stability for the community.