Sweden joins as a donor to NESsT’s long-standing South America acceleration program, enabling the program to increase the number of enterprises it supports and to expand its efforts in Colombia, Peru, and into Brazil.
The NESsT Lirio Fund provides Kulkao with a second loan to increase the income of cocoa farmers in the Amazon basin
Located in the jungle areas of central and eastern Peru, Kulkao sources cocoa from over 400 smallholder farmers living in the remote regions of the Amazon basin. Its products include cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and cocoa nibs that are sold to local and international markets such as Europe and North America. Due to its success, in 2023, NESsT approved a second revolving loan to Kulkao, supporting the social enterprise to continue to purchase cacao beans from local farmers committed to organic, sustainable practices.
The NESsT Lirio Fund welcomes Cuencas del Huallaga, a cocoa cooperative using technology to prevent deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon
The NESsT Lirio Fund Welcomes Laguna, a Coffee Cooperative Promoting Gender Equity in Peru’s Agriculture Sector
Cooperativa Cafetalera Laguna de los Cóndores sources coffee from almost 460 smallholder farmers operating in the region, working to alleviate their severe financial strains and ensure coffee producers earn a living income. NESsT’s revolving investment will support Laguna to reach and sign contracts with more producers over the next two years, with funding provided on an as-needed basis for working capital needs.
The NESsT Lirio Fund Seeks SMEs Accelerating Environmental Conservation in the Andes and Amazon
With Over Two Decades of Experience Supporting Indigenous Medicinal Plant Farmers, Pebani Joins the NESsT Lirio Fund to Expand its Global Presence
NESsT’s loan will help Pebani to purchase machinery and equipment and invest in marketing and commercial development, ultimately amplifying their presence in new markets. This loan will also support Pebani to obtain additional Fair Trade and Organic certifications, which will strengthen their international brand awareness in commercial events and global fairs.
The NESsT Lirio Fund Welcomes Cedros Café, a Coffee Cooperative that Supports Women Coffee Farmers in Peru
NESsT’s loan will support Cedros Café with working capital to increase the number of farmers they can support – in the next two years, the enterprise plans to work with 400 associates. Cedros will also equip these smallholder farmers to double their production capacity, reaching 1,200 kilos per hectare while safeguarding their quality and certifications.
The NESsT Lirio Fund Invests in RONAP, a Brazil Nut Exporter that Supports Indigenous Communities to Safeguard the Biodiversity of the Peruvian Amazon
The NESsT Fund invests in Kulkao, a Peruvian cocoa producer that improves the livelihoods of remote smallholder farmers
The NESsT Fund loan will increase Kulkao’s organic production capacity and improve the yield of more than 1,000 smallholder farmers living in the Peruvian rainforest, expanding the income possibilities for local indigenous communities in the buffer zone of the Cordillera Azul National Park, which covers more than 1.5 million hectares of land.
How Café Compadre Supports Coffee Farmers in the Central Peruvian Jungle - ' Good coffee is good for you and good for the farmer'
To produce specialty coffee, Cafe Compadre eliminates the intermediaries and works directly with farmers located in the remote central Peruvian jungle, training the farmers to pick only the coffee beans that are free of defects and at peak ripeness from each harvest. This way, the farmers preserve the quality and flavor of the coffee while maintaining a traceable and sustainable production process. In 2019, the social enterprise paid farmers 50% more of the average price paid to farmers for normal commercial beans.