TABLE MAGAZINE, SUMMER 2024

Behind the Bean

Addressing the Gender Gap in Coffee-Cocoa-Producing Countries

Most of the world’s coffee, some 11 million tonnes, is grown on smallholder farms in Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. As the world’s most popular beverage, coffee plays a pivotal role in the economy of these tropical countries, providing livelihoods to approximately 25 million rural families. However, a patriarchal culture that perpetuates outdated gender roles threatens the wellbeing of women and families, and the sustainability of the commodity.  

“Women contribute anywhere between 40-80% of the labor required to get coffee and cocoa beans from farm to market. Female household leads typically grow and harvest the beans, while men control transportation, marketing and sales,” reported Kimberly Easson, Founder and CEO, Equal Origins. “Despite the fact that women have the greatest impact on quality and yield for these smallholder farms, they have little to no decision-making power or access to fair wages, training, information, land ownership or credit.” 

Even though the coffee and cocoa industries invest hundreds of millions of dollars annually in farmer education and technical support, very little of that ever reaches or benefits the women behind the bean. Further driving disempowerment of women is the added burden of domestic responsibilities. On top of their farming tasks, females also manage household chores and attend to the health and education of children. The unequal allocation of time and household accountabilities enables men to dedicate themselves to their business. 

Tools and Training to Help Turn the Tide

In 2020, Equal Origins developed the Gender Equity Index (GEI) to shed light on the gender imbalances in the coffee and cocoa industry and ensure that women gain access to the services they need to be successful. The GEI was designed specifically for Extension and Advisory Service (EAS) provider organizations that deliver agricultural training and education programs to smallholder farmers. These service providers, such as farmer cooperatives, offer programming that improves productivity, however, their delivery methods are largely designed by men, for men. 

Global studies on equity and inclusion continually prove that when women’s voices and experiences are integrated into business, everything is better. This data-driven conclusion inspired the name of Equal Origins’ recent work, the Better Together Workshop. 

“We designed the Better Together Workshop for companies that are providing agricultural services and support to farmers on the ground with the intention that those organizations initiate a big shift in the way they work so their programs and services actually reach women equally to men,” described Easson.  

After taking the GEI self-assessment and receiving a detailed report of recommendations, the Better Together Workshop (BTW) guides leaders and staff members of EAS provider organizations through five facilitated sessions that reinforce the need for a gender-inclusive approach and develops a specific vision, goals and plans for gender integration. The workshop helps organizations align resources to their gender equity goals, as well as track and communicate their progress.  

“I saw an opportunity that was not being filled,” said Easson. “I saw the industry wanting to do the right thing, wanting to make a difference, and investing money in sustainability. But I knew that we were not going to see the kind of outcomes we were looking for if women are not equal, standing side-by-side with the men in everything that we do.” 

Better Together Workshops have now been delivered to eleven different groups in Central America, South America and East Africa. The Equal Origins team is now gearing up to launch the series in Nigeria and Cameroon. 

Most recently, Equal Origins piloted an Executive Edition of the Better Together Workshop and Rich’s is proud to sponsor this impactful extension of their programming. The executive workshop is targeted toward companies in North America and Europe that are investing resources in training or sustainability within the coffee and cocoa industry, and in their sourcing and procurement practices. 

“We’re taking our work to the market, helping to educate a different level of the supply chain on the issue of gender equity,” explained Easson. “The goal is to reach decision makers at the market level to promote leadership advocacy and influence budget allocation toward sustainability programs with gender equity at their core.”   

I saw an opportunity that was not being filled,” said Easson. “I saw the industry wanting to do the right thing, wanting to make a difference, and investing money in sustainability. But I knew that we were not going to see the kind of outcomes we were looking for if women are not equal, standing side-by-side with the men in everything that we do.

 

Better Together Workshops have now been delivered to eleven different groups in Central America, South America and East Africa. The Equal Origins team is now gearing up to launch the series in Nigeria and Cameroon. 

Most recently, Equal Origins piloted an Executive Edition of the Better Together Workshop and Rich’s is proud to sponsor this impactful extension of their programming. The executive workshop is targeted toward companies in North America and Europe that are investing resources in training or sustainability within the coffee and cocoa industry, and in their sourcing and procurement practices. 

“We’re taking our work to the market, helping to educate a different level of the supply chain on the issue of gender equity,” explained Easson. “The goal is to reach decision makers at the market level to promote leadership advocacy and influence budget allocation toward sustainability programs with gender equity at their core.”   

Evidence of Change

Easson noted that ‘connecting the dots’ in a meaningful way for people can be challenging. A report on the number of families that are positively impacted by one purchase from one company only tells a portion of the story, and the progress doesn’t end there. That purchaser then becomes a thought leader by engaging with an approach to coffee and cocoa buying the embraces gender equity. And that company’s leadership spurs a domino effect that trickles throughout the industry, around the world, and right back to the farm where it all began. 

Easson identifies three distinct areas in which transformation can and should take place: at the family level in farming communities, in the middle rung that includes the farmer cooperatives and service provider agencies, and finally at the market level.  

“We’ve seen a shift beginning to happen at each of these three levels,” said Easson with pride. “It’s a journey. You are always going to have some people who move a little more quickly and they become role models, the champions that can help inspire more change.” 

At the family level, Easson is encouraged to see more women exercising agency in their lives.  

“This is where transformation begins, when a women’s voice is valued in their household, their community, and their farmer organization,” described Easson.  

Women are increasingly welcomed into farmer cooperatives and their voice is represented through membership voting practices that impact decision making.  

At the service provider level, Easson said the Gender Equity Index has provided a framework for a shared language and understanding that supports regular conversations about gender equity, and a tool to drive change.  

The Gender Equity Index not only brings to light areas where your operations and services could be designed more sustainably, but also provides a tool and a framework to execute and improve,

Kate Cavallin, General Manager, Cacao Latitudes, specialty cacao trading company. 

 

Senior Coffee and Tea Buyer at Allegro Coffee Company (a division of Whole Foods), Kelly Amoroso said, “The GEI gives us an opportunity to engage with supply chain partners and communicate using a common language. The tool helps us to identify and measure how we can make investments in our partners at origin to continue in gender equity and women empowerment.

The GEI is applicable to all supply chain actors, so whether you’re an exporter, producer, importer or a roaster, the tool can serve as an easily approachable and welcoming first step into your journey of gender equity.”  

On the market side, there is more awareness and demand for women’s coffees, however, Easson cautions that there is not a clear definition of what that means. Women are rarely landowners in these patriarchal communities, so what exactly does ‘women’s coffee’ mean?  

Easson explained that their work is not designed to shift from a male-dominated industry to a divided, female-versus-male supply chain. Rather, the Equal Origins team is striving to create a future where farmers start to work together in a more harmonious way, considering the needs of the different people in the family: the woman, the man, and the children.  

“The goal is to see these smallholder farms embrace gender equality in a way that will yield a more prosperous way of living and better farm outcomes for everyone,” aspired Easson.  

Westrock Coffee Company, operators of one of the most preeminent coffee supply chains in the world, is also using and seeing the power of Equal Origins’ tools and programming.  

“Within key sustainable sourcing programs, Westrock Coffee Company has begun recommending use of the Gender Equity Index as a resource for partners who report low levels of female participation,” said Brooke Cantrell, VP of Sustainability, Westrock Coffee Company. “The tool provides our partners a tactical approach to providing gender equitable access to farm services. This simplifies the daunting task of creating gender equity into a series of concrete program adjustments that make equal space for women and men.” 

Westrock recently participated in the Executive Edition of the BTW workshop, and is recommending Equal Origin tools to their supply chain partners.    

“That’s exactly the sort of the power behind the Executive Edition of the Better Together Workshop,” confirmed Easson. “By assembling the right kind of decision makers, we have a remarkable opportunity to really flip a switch in how they’re thinking, and that’s the basis for transformation.”