Here’s the story. There are various patches of coffee growing underneath the forest canopy in both the Jama-Coaque Ecological Reserve and in neighboring properties (in coastal Ecuador). Last year we started a local coffee cooperative, in which various local coffee growers (including the Reserve itself) pooled together their coffee for commercialization. A French-American intern, named Morgane Treanton, spearheaded the effort. We developed a label and acquired the necessary processing equipment and talked to each of the farmers who grow coffee, and we launched the product. The quality of the coffee is very high – very aromatic and good taste, according to feedback from customers in both Ecuador and in the US. But the “product” is still very undeveloped. Our labels and packaging were low-budget, and our marketing effort was exploratory but not concerted. This year we want to elevate the cooperative into a more commercially viable venture for local farmers. Coffee is a very forest-friendly way to generate income, because it grows semi-wild here and can be combined with other agroforestry crops (such as banana) and mature native hardwood trees – and no chemical fertilizer or pesticides are used whatsoever, 100% organic. So our goal is to make this a more economically attractive use of land than logging and cattle ranching. To do so, we need to improve the label, improve the packaging, encourage more farmers to join the cooperative, and more aggressively and innovatively market the product. The harvest is just about to begin, and processing will take place mostly in August and September. We need an intern to help with the processing and take on the tasks listed above – especially the marketing. The ideal candidate is someone who is interested in “green” business and artisanal/local production. It is also probably good to be a coffee enthusiast. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have experience in coffee production or marketing – it would be a bonus if you do, but also this is something that can be learned on the fly. What is most important is that you approach this project with a lot of energy and your own initiative. Nothing gets done easily here, and your main obstacle will be inertia in the community. Also, you will be living in Peace Corps-style conditions, in a small rural community in coastal Ecuador, where most people don’t have running water and horses are a major form of transportation. You need to be of strong spirit and durable constitution to thrive in this project. But it is very important for the economic future of this community and the ecological future of the forest that surrounds it.
To read the complete program description, please visit our Internship page on our website at http://www.3malliance.org/index.php?id=320 The application deadline is THE END OF THIS WEEK (July 1st). Fortunately, the application is short and straightforward, We look foward to talking! Jerry Toth Director, Jama-Coaque Ecological Reserve Third Millennium Alliance Jama, Ecuador www.3malliance.org
