In an ongoing effort to reforest coffee parks, the government is taking action by distributing coffee plants. As part of this endeavor, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) announced that they have already delivered over a million coffee plants.
“We have delivered the first million coffee plants to beneficiary farmers in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Bálsamo-Quezaltepec, and Chichontepec mountain ranges, thanks to the Forest Coffee Resilience Program,” stated the ministry.
According to the MAG, the varieties provided to coffee growers include Cuscatleco, Marsellesa, and Anacafé 14, which are expected to increase the beneficiaries’ production. However, the project aims to reforest over 6,900 acres of coffee plantations.
“In total, we will distribute three million plants, including Kenya, Geisha, and Pacamara varieties, all with a genetic purity exceeding 80%,” the institution added in a statement.
In previous announcements, MAG authorities revealed that the total investment for the repopulation of the six coffee mountain ranges in 2023 amounts to $13 million, thanks to state funds and the support of allies such as the Forest Coffee Resilience Project of El Salvador, which is executed with loan funds from the Inter-American Development Bank, and the VIVICAFE project, which receives non-reimbursable financing from the Italian Cooperation.
Support for the sector includes technical assistance, as well as the provision of foliar and soil-applied fertilizers, fungicides, fruit, and timber trees.
The focus is on strengthening the sector, improving coffee forest areas, and benefiting coffee growers’ incomes.
“This year, the MAG will support the renovation of over 6,900 acres of agroforestry coffee systems, benefiting more than 5,700 producers. The Resilience Climate project will assist 3,000 producers, with 1,250 of them being women. This is an important aspect as the program specifically supports women,” explained Amílcar Landaverde, the Director-General of Rural Development at MAG.
Tulio Avilés, a coffee producer from Los Hermanos farm in Juayúa, Sonsonate, stated that the aid provided allows them to thrive as coffee farmers. “Today, we received 1,200 Marsellesa variety plants, which we will use for renovation and planting new coffee,” he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture’s commitment to the coffee sector, through the distribution of coffee plants and comprehensive support, is expected to drive production growth and create a sustainable future for coffee farmers in El Salvador.