Producers Direct

Producers Direct is our sister organisation founded by coffee farmers to help farming communities build stronger, more resilient livelihoods. Working across coffee-growing regions in Latin America and Africa, it gives farmers practical tools, training and support to help them adapt to climate change, improve productivity and grow their incomes.

What makes Producers Direct different is that farmers help shape and lead the work. Rather than telling farmers what they need, it works alongside cooperatives to develop solutions that respond to local challenges and opportunities.

Many farming communities already collect valuable information about their crops, farms and local conditions. Producers Direct helps cooperatives bring this information together so they can make better decisions and access new opportunities.

Through simple digital tools, farmers can receive advice directly to their phones, helping them tackle issues such as crop diseases, changing weather patterns and soil health. Cooperatives can use the information to plan training, support their members and meet growing sustainability requirements from coffee buyers.

Most importantly, the information belongs to the farmers and cooperatives themselves. By working together and sharing knowledge, they can strengthen their bargaining power, improve services for members and create a more secure future for coffee-growing communities.

By supporting organisations like Producers Direct, we're helping coffee farmers access the knowledge, finance and tools they need to build thriving farms, stronger communities and a more resilient future for coffee.

For example, coffee farmer Flor Yanahuanca from the Norandino cooperative in Peru received guidance to identify and treat leaf spot disease. By sharing photos and descriptions of the affected plants, she received tailored advice she could put into practice immediately - helping protect her crop before the disease spread further.

Many smallholder farmers struggle to access affordable finance to invest in their farms. Through Producers Direct's Rota Fund microloans, farmers can access small loans to buy essentials such as fertiliser and farming equipment.

One farmer, María García Peña, used a loan to buy fertiliser for her coffee farm. The investment helped her maintain more consistent production, stabilise her household finances and improve future yields. The programme has been particularly successful for women farmers, with 37 women repaying loans in 2025 and all participants increasing their income by more than 50% after receiving finance.

In 2025, Producers Direct:

• trained 3,025 farmers in person
• provided digital advice to 2,088 farmers
• helped 82% of participating farmers feel more confident adapting to climate challenges
• supported 39 farmers with microloans, helping every participant increase their income by over 50%.