GIZ and Nestlé announce the success of scaling up regenerative agriculture among Thai coffee producers

Over 2,200 Robusta coffee smallholders in southern Thailand benefited from eight-year public private partnership projects

 

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in partnership with Nestlé (Thai) Ltd., governmental agencies, and smallholder Robusta coffee producers, celebrated the successful completion of an eight-year public-private partnership dedicated to uplifting the livelihoods and climate resilience of over 2,200 Robusta coffee smallholders in southern Thailand.

GIZ and Nestlé formed a long-term partnership since 2018 and have jointly launched the Coffee+ and Coffee++ programs to equip Thai coffee farmers with the knowledge and skills needed to increase their yields and household incomes. The initiatives under these programs include the Farmer Business School and practices for income diversification. Additionally, the programs are enhanced by embedding regenerative agriculture practices in coffee farms to help farmers become climate-resilient while protecting the environment.

After eight years of project implementation, over 100 participants from various sectors attended the project’s closing ceremony today to celebrate the successes and showcase the achievements of regenerative agriculture practices. Participants included high-level executives from GIZ, Nestlé (Thai) Ltd., and the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, led by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension, and Land Development Department, alongside representatives of Robusta coffee farmer individuals and groups from the major growing areas of Chumphon, Prachuapkhirikhan, and Ranong.

Mr. Thianchai Chookittiwibul, Chumphon Provincial Governor, gave the opening remarks, saying:, “The Coffee + and Coffee ++ Thailand projects have been fundamental in supporting the national coffee development plan 2022-2031 and driving policies into action. The successful integration of this public-private partnership has enabled thousands of coffee smallholders and their communities to become resilient and better prepared for climate uncertainties.”

The half-day event provided a vital platform for exchanging successful pathways toward the adoption of sustainable practices. A dedicated seminar session offered concrete, practical steps for smallholders to upscale their farm management and enhance the value of coffee products to meet market demand in the short and long-term. Crucially, integrating the regenerative agriculture approach into the provincial government’s action plans ensures long-term sustainability beyond the project. Long-term ecological and socioeconomic impacts help restore soil health and its quality, while biodiversity within the coffee agroecosystem has been further increased, and farming households are more  resilient from diversified income.

Pouchamarn Wongsanga, Project Director, GIZ Thailand, highlighted the strategic alignment, “The Coffee++ Thailand project provides a vital platform for all stakeholders,  particularly smallholders to actively enhance their capacities in farming management, production standards, competitiveness and climate resilience. Our key achievement is ensuring that these sustainable practices are integrated into provincial action plans, guaranteeing long-term viability. The project’s impact includes the restoration of soil health, increasing biodiversity, and enhancing carbon sequestration potential by growing cover crops, organic inputs, and agroforestry, resulting in diversified income streams for farming households.”

Mr. Philippe Glauser, Head of Technical and Production, Nestlé Indochina, added, “We’re proud of our partnership with GIZ, which has enabled the scaling up of Regenerative Agriculture among thousands of Robusta coffee smallholders. The project clearly helps protect the environment while enabling Thai coffee farmers to increase their production yield and household income. Consumers also benefit from the high-quality coffee produced through Regenerative Agriculture practices. Crucially, this joint effort directly supports Nestlé’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”