Stronger Together: Turning Commitment into Collective Action in Honduras and Peru
Peru and Honduras are key coffee export countries for the German retail market and were chosen as the starting point for a pilot project on living incomes of the German Retailers Working Group.
The German Retailers Working Group launched a joint project on living incomes to strengthen the livelihoods of smallholder coffee farmers in Honduras and Peru. Verena Aichele, CSR Manager from dm-drogerie markt, explains that Peru and Honduras were chosen as the starting points for this pilot because both countries are key coffee exporters for the German retail market: “Germany is the largest importer of green coffee in Europe, and Honduras and Peru play a key role in specialty segments. It is therefore important to ensure stable and sustainable relationships with producers in both countries.”
The countries’ strong trade links and significant volumes make them highly relevant partners for retailers committed to advancing living incomes. “For German retailers, Honduras and Peru are strategic markets within the coffee sector. Both supply high-quality, traceable coffees, most of which are certified under standards such as Fairtrade and organic, responding to growing consumer demand for sustainable and responsibly sourced products”, says Verena Aichele.
Both, Honduras and Peru are characterised by a diverse coffee farming landscape. This diversity of production systems– ranging from small subsistence farms to professionalised cooperatives – offers valuable insights that can inform broader strategies. Tailored strategies, including improved access to credit, technical support, and stronger alliances with institutions such as the Honduran Coffee Institute (IHCAFE) or the National Coffee Board of Peru (JNC) are essential to meet the distinct needs of these groups. Thus, the Working Group not only addresses pressing challenges in important supply chains but also lays the groundwork for scaling solutions to other origins in the future.
Collaboration as the Key to Living Incomes
“The commitment of the actors has been achieved because everyone recognises that improving producers' incomes is an essential factor for the sustainability of the entire chain. There is full awareness in the territory that no actor can achieve this objective alone,” says Alina Tremmel, Human Rights Consultant at Lidl International. “That is why we are promoting spaces for coordination that enable dialogue, sharing of the actions that each party is carrying out and, above all, generating synergies that enhance results.”
The project of the Retailers Working Group underscores the need for collective responsibility across retailers, producers, governments, and civil society. By combining responsible purchasing, resilient farming systems, and sector-wide collaboration, the project aspires to contribute to a fairer and more sustainable coffee sector – one where smallholder families in Honduras and Peru can secure a dignified livelihood and the future of sustainable coffee cultivation is secured.