information
about this
initiative.
Interested in collaborating with this initiative? We
would love to hear your ideas. For more
information please contact us.
Farmer Field School by UNEX
Objectives:
Unex has rolled out a new project at Sta. Bárbara Wet Mill, our first “Farmer Field School” made especially for small and medium coffee producers, looking to train them to improve their production levels and coffee quality from tree to cherry.
Why implement a Farmer Field School for Coffee Producers?
1.Fieldwork training is key for learning.
2.Traditional practices are not always efficient and must adapt to Climate Change.
3.Producers will learn to make their own decisions, becoming self-sufficient.
4.Producers will receive training with the best up –to-date agricultural practices with follow-up throughout the coffee cycle.
Phases
3 Key Phases
Our Farmer Field School will be developed in 3 phases:
Phase 1: Seedlings
Phase 2: Demonstrative Parcel
Phase 3: Nursery
Phase 1: Seedlings
Phase 1 is set for the 20/21 crop, taking place from August 14 to November 15 by planting 20,000 seeds. Varieties: Marsellesa, Anacafé 14, Caturra and Bourbon.
Phase 2: Demonstrative Parcel
For Phase 2 a total of 400 coffee trees (200 Marsellesa and 200 Anacafé 14) will be planted. Here, different practices and models will be taught to prove their efficiency.
Phase 3: Nursery
Phase 3 will be developing a nursery to close the production cycle at the Farmer Field School. This nursery will comprise from 20,000 – 30,000 coffee trees, from seedlings with 4 varieties, grafted in 85 days.
Field Training:
As we establish this “Farmer Field School”, hands-on field training will take place with coffee producers, with learning in mind of the best agricultural practices for each region, so each farmer may apply them in their parcels.
TEAMWORK
Our Farmer Field School will be a Learning Center where coffee producers and the UNEX Team through our Alliance with the MOCCA Initiative implemented in Guatemala by Technoserve will exchange valuable knowledge for the coffee field, with a baseline in experience and usage of simple and practical methods as a learning tool that will benefit coffee producers for years to come.

Health
With a goal in mind to provide Medical and Dental assistance to our coffee supply chain, UNEX partenered with the National Exporters Association (ADEC) to bring clinics in 7 different regions, covering 300 patients in one week. This Farmer Aid Initiative provides free medical assistance with diagnosis and medications as prescribed by our doctor and dentist on-site.

Sustainability
In 2020, UNEX and MOCCA, an initiative funded by the U.S Department of Agriculture and implemented by TechnoServe, joined together to provide an in-depth agricultural practices Farmer Aid Initiative to 3,000 coffee producers in the area of Santa Rosa, Sacatepequez and Chimaltenango.

Farmer Connect
As part of Itochu Corporation´s sponsorship in the Farmer Connect Platform, which seeks to connect farmers to new business models by providing information based on transparency from the coffee fields to the consumer, UNEX is proud to have joined and is actively pursuing new business opportunities in this new project.
CONTACT
US
13 Calle 3-40, Zona 10. Edificio Atlantis
Nivel 14 Oficina 1402
PBX: (502) 2427-0100 / (502) 2470-1000
FAX: (502) 2219-3407 / (502) 2470-1010