Global – The Coffee Corps

Connecting Volunteer Experts with Local Farmers

Coffee Corps is a private-public partnership, established by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), matching experts in the coffee industry with farmers and associations seeking technical assistance around the world. In collaboration with CQI, ACDI/VOCA recruited and placed volunteer experts willing to share their time and talents with coffee farmers and communities from 2003 – 2005. These volunteers helped producers improve production methods, quality control processes and marketing.

ACDI/VOCA’s on-the-ground assistance helped Coffee Corps in its mission to enhance the livelihoods of coffee farmers, workers and entrepreneurs in developing countries and to help ensure a reliable supply of quality coffee products. The Coffee Corps initiative operates worldwide with a specialized program focused on Central America and the Dominican Republic (CADR).

ACDI/VOCA mobilized demand for Coffee Corp services and channeled coffee-country producer groups and companies into the program’s activities. With ACDI/VOCA’s assistance, overseas client organizations presented formal applications for program assistance and prepared detailed and viable volunteer scopes of work for CQI approval. ACDI/VOCA also provided the administrative support needed to develop effective recruiting materials and process volunteer travel details.

Volunteers provided training in roasting, cupping, marketing, quality control and other areas, in countries such as Guatemala, Venezuela, Rwanda, Ethiopia and the Philippines.

Visit the official Coffee Corps website.

Coffee Corps was featured in the July-August 2005 issue of Frontlines–USAID's monthly news publication. Read the article here.