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Ecom's Specialized Farmer Training for Women is a Game-Changer in Coffee Production in East Asia

Ecom's Specialized Farmer Training for Women is a Game-Changer in Coffee Production in East Asia

In 2011, Ecom in conjunction with IFC, scaled up its farmer training programs in both Indonesia and Vietnam to increase productivity, sustainability, and to improve the quality of their coffee beans. When the training centers opened for business, there were hardly any female coffee farmers in attendance. On investigation, the project team found that women often assumed the training was for men and many also felt culturally uncomfortable in a mixed room with a male trainer. When Ecom realized that a large share of their training budget was essentially being wasted, they immediately took action and went back to the drawing board with IFC to drastically rethink their training protocols.
 

Financial EducationNon Financial ServicesGender Finance