Farmer School for Resilient Communities

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Creating Thriving, Resilient Communities Through Coffee

At Bean Voyage, we believe in a world where smallholder women coffee farmers have the tools, training, and opportunities to build thriving, resilient businesses. Thanks to our partnership with The Coffee Vision Fund and Siruma Coffee, we are excited to launch the Farmer School for Resilient Communities in Colombia!

Our Impact in Colombia since 2024

✔ 50 smallholder women coffee farmers trained in sustainable business management, income diversification, and food security.

✔ $8000+ in seed funds distributed to support two income-generating projects led by two associations.

✔ Current working in in Tolima, Colombia.

The Challenge: Barriers for Women Coffee Farmers

In Latin America, smallholder women coffee farmers face systemic challenges—from gender-based barriers to financial insecurity and climate-related risks. Nearly half (47.6%) of smallholder farmers rely solely on coffee for income, making them vulnerable to market fluctuations and food insecurity.

To address these challenges, Bean Voyage developed the Farmer School for Resilient Communities, a 12-month rural incubator program designed to empower women farmers through training, mentorship, and financial support.

Program Highlights

This year, we’re working with 50 smallholder women coffee farmers in Tolima, Colombia, equipping them with the knowledge and resources to create sustainable livelihoods.

✅ Training in climate resilience, agroforestry, and income diversification (including beekeeping, poultry farming, and financial literacy).

✅ $8,400 in seed funds distributed to help farmers launch and expand their businesses.

✅ Strengthening community networks through an alumni program and Farmer Advisory Committee.

✅ Hands-on mentorship through participation in the Women-Powered Coffee Summit.

Timeline

Project Ideation
Included a site visit to present the project schedule, align teams, and identify communities for recruitment, followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and participant enrollment based on a Bean Voyage application survey assessing farm size, WhatsApp communication ability, and business projections.
Began with an onboarding session covering program milestones, followed by Bootcamp 1 (Saturday and Sunday) focusing on gender, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
Featured Bootcamp 2 (Saturday and Sunday) on food security and diversification, with specific topics determined by participant interests, alongside the Seed Capital Application process, where eligible participants received mentorship to develop projects reviewed by an evaluation committee for funding.
Hosted the Women-Powered Coffee Summit (October 2-5, 2024) in Mexico for 8 selected participants who successfully completed the training phase of the program.
Saw the distribution of seed capital in two installments—60% upfront and 40% upon implementation evidence.
Focused on seed capital project implementation, requiring completion before monitoring and evaluation.
Will conduct monitoring and evaluation through field visits and surveys to assess business implementation and inform future improvements.
Will conclude the program with a graduation event celebrating participants' success, alongside report writing and an evaluation of future collaboration between Bean Voyage and Siruma.