Better Life Farming in Mexico 

The infestation of coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix) in Mexico in 2013 affected coffee production in the country and, consequently, the families dependent on coffee growing. This made it evident that coffee plantations needed to be renewed.

221 million new plants would be required per year, given that most of the productive coffee plantations are between 20-40 years old. Since 2013, SMS implemented various actions, focusing on training and awareness among producers about the advantages of coffee plantation renewal. However, one of the biggest challenges producers faced was the impact on their income when carrying out this renovation.

To minimize this problem, AMSA looked for alternatives that made it possible for producers to generate additional income during the renovation process.

Bayer is a Chemical-pharmaceutical company with key competencies in Life Sciences: Health and Agriculture. Bayer with ECOM-Mexico and YARA, like commercial partners, sought to improve the quality of life of small farmers in rural communities. This initiative worked to convert farms into commercially viable and sustainable agricultural businesses, enabling kiosks in marginalized areas to provide the necessary inputs to develop their agricultural activity without travel large distances to the nearest city to acquire them and, at the same time, become a community center to provide financial, health training and technical advice.

Better Life Farming is an initiative created to turn small farmers into agro-entrepreneurs through alliances, adoption of technologies and development of new business models. This seeks to improve their quality of life, thus contributing to SMS's essential mission of improving the economic, social, environmental and health conditions of coffee farmers and their families through various training services, technical assistance, and management of technological innovations, sustainable inputs and certifications.

The kiosks in Mexico are located in the main coffee-growing states such as Puebla, Chiapas and Veracruz. In these kiosks, there are specialized technicians who offer free support and training on agriculture and marketing issues for farmers.

Origin

In 2021, AMSA and Bayer agreed to execute the "Sustainable Agriculture for Coffee" Project, which provided advice and technology transfer to coffee growers for intercropping corn in coffee farms in renovation stage to supplement their income with other crops for the next 3-5 years.

The first BLF kiosk in Mexico named "La Lagunilla", started on February 22, 2022, built entirely by Bayer, with the aim of providing services and inputs related to agriculture to coffee producers and creating ecosystems to the development of rural businesses.

After one year, the number of operational BLF Centers in the region increased from 10 to 38 in Mexico, providing personalized solutions to small farmers and their communities. These kiosks are located in communities with direct coffee collection centers. Recognized producers in the community and with an entrepreneurial profile operate the kiosk.

This project has provided important opportunities for women, allowing them to run their own businesses and participate more actively in agricultural and business decisions in their communities. Currently, 80% of agribusiness owners in Mexico are women.

Since 2021 to 2023, more than 20 thousand farmers have been beneficiaries and entities such as Banco Azteca and FIRA, have facilitated the process to develop financial inclusion ecosystems in communities where the kiosks are established.

The Better Life Farming Program has represented significant progress in supporting Mexican producers, especially in the coffee industry. Through the implementation of kiosks in rural communities, access to inputs, technology and training has facilitated, generating of greater income for farmers, as well as the promoting financial inclusion, the participation of women in decision-making and strengthening communities.

With notable growth in the number of kiosks and the scope of benefits, Better Life Farming represent a transformative initiative that improves the quality of life of Mexican farmers.