REUTERS FOUNDATION VISITS THE FARMING PARTNERS OF COFFEE FOR PEACE

Kieran Guilbert of Thomson Reuters Foundation — the philanthropic arm of Thomson Reuters, the world’s biggest news and information provider — visited and interviewed our farming partners and fieldworkers in Mindanao. This foundation establishes strategic partnerships “to tackle some of the world’s most pressing socio-economic issues” engaging businesses, governments, thought leaders and civil society.

Guilbert featured the story of Marivic Dubria as a case of the social impact of CFP’s inclusive development initiatives. Here’s a segment of their report in a recent article published by a national newspaper:

Having learned how to grow, harvest and process high-quality Arabica beans at a time when global demand for coffee is soaring—it is set to hit a record high this year —Dubria exports her crop to buyers as far away as Seattle for at least $5 per kilo.

“But it’s not all about the money—it’s about taking responsibility for the environment and other communities,” Dubria told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in her home on Mount Apo while brewing a pot of thick, aromatic, treacle-like coffee.

Beyond helping coffee growers get a better deal, CfP aims to encourage dialogue between communities, with tensions ranging from colonial-era conflict between native Muslims and Christian settlers to land and resource disputes between ethnic groups.