Lavazza, Nespresso, Olam, and Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee have donated more than US$200,000 to coffee farmers in Sumatra and Java, Indonesia, to help them against the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indonesia in March, a 56-year old coffee farmer Sayanah from Juku Batu Village, Indonesia, had not even heard of the coronavirus, much less how to stop its spread to his community and family.
Indonesia is the fourth-largest coffee producer in the world, with 90% produced by small-scale farmers who depend on it for their livelihoods.
Coffee farmers all over the world have already taken a hit from low prices and the pandemic now poses an urgent existential risk for them.
Vivek Verma, Managing Director and CEO of Olam Coffee
Sayanah is one of more than 10,700 of farmers who sell coffee to Olam International to benefit from sensitisation, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and essential supplies.
The aid comes following a joint effort by Olam and its global coffee customers, Italian coffee roaster Lavazza, Nespresso, and Canada’s Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee.
Together with our customers, the priority is to work hand in hand to help keep farmers safe and help them endure this difficult period.
Vivek Verma, Managing Director and CEO of Olam Coffee
Starting in July, donation packages consisting of hand sanitisers, face masks, and food staples have been given to coffee farmers across Indonesia’s Sumatra and Java regions.
Sensitising rural villages and farming communities on COVID-19 prevention have also been a priority for Olam’s teams on the ground to help control the spread of the virus.
Beyond Indonesia, Olam Coffee continues to work with partners around the world in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to perform significant resources in-kind and financial support across origins in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
