why giving a voice to coffee farmers matters
Coffee has always been about people, whether meeting for coffee or chatting over coffee.
But for this special collaboration, we’re shining a light on the people behind coffee—the producers, farmers, and workers who make it all possible.
voices that matter
Farmers' Voice Radio exists to give a voice to these all-important people.
An initiative of international non-profit the Lorna Young Foundation, Farmers' Voice Radio amplifies farmers' voices through locally-led radio programming—a widely accessible, low-cost medium that even farmers in the most remote locations can tune into.
This work helps farming communities share knowledge, improve yields, adapt to climate change, and strengthen local networks—all vital to keep farmers and producers at the forefront of sustainable farming.
This benefits farmers, roasters, and ultimately everyone who enjoys their cup of coffee.
coffee seedlings being unpacked in peru (photo credit: Inchahuasi Valley Cooperative, Cusco, Peru)
the benefits
The large-scale impact of Farmers' Voice Radio is clear to the coffee industry when you pick through their incredible work to date, both through radio programmes reaching thousands of farmers delivered in partnership with local organisations, and through training agricultural officers on the Farmers' Voice Radio approach in their online Academy.
- 70,000 disease-resistant coffee seedlings planted by smallholder coffee farmers in Nyeri, Kenya
- Widespread adoption of stumping practices to rejuvenate older, low-yielding coffee trees by farmers on Mount Elgon, Uganda. You can hear directly from coffee farmers Esther and Agnes about this experience here.
- 50 individuals representing 24 coffee cooperatives from Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua with the skills and tools to deliver Farmers' Voice Radio programmes to their total membership of over 20,000 farmers
Brighton Coffee Festival presents a unique opportunity to benefit this collective with a special collaborative coffee.
the right coffee
With such a worthy cause, Bell Lane Coffee is proud to support Farmers' Voice Radio with a special collaboration coffee for Brighton Coffee Festival.
We’ve chosen a coffee from La Morena, an all-female coffee collective based in Guatemala. Led by Maria Renee Morales, La Morena is a shining example of female coffee producers working together while sharing knowledge and resources to build a stronger, more resilient community.
At Brighton Coffee Festival, this coffee provides an opportunity to directly support farming communities. 25% of every sale will go directly to Farmers' Voice Radio, helping them continue their vital work across the globe.
gail henshall of bell lane coffee at dublin coffee festival
shared values
Bell Lane Coffee and Farmers' Voice Radio first connected at Dublin Coffee Festival. There, Hannah Davis of Farmers' Voice Radio met Bell Lane’s Head of Sales, Gail Henshall, where the idea for this collaboration was born.
"This is a natural fit for Bell Lane. It ties in with our B Corp values to benefit people and the planet, but more than that it's a chance to shine a light on, and raise funds for, some truly impactful work being done at origin," says Gail.
"Coffee connects people everywhere," says Hannah. "This partnership with Bell Lane is a brilliant way to show how these connections extend from the coffee you drink all the way back to the producer who grows and cares for it."
further support
To learn more about Farmers' Voice Radio’s mission, and to support this amazing organisation directly, please visit them here. You can learn more on their latest projects and how their work directly benefits farmers on the ground.
