The charity initiative will help farmers in the southwestern mountains of Colombia, on an area of almost 400 hectares (1000 acres), grow coffee instead of coca, the main ingredient in cocaine.
A joint program of the Government of Colombia, Nespresso Nestle and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, will initially fund substitution in the El Rosario area, in the province of Narino, which is the main coca growing area.
One thousand farmers participating in the project, initially at their sites will produce 500 bags of coffee weighing 60 kg, which will then be purchased by Nespresso.
“Families who were previously tormented by illegal crops have found a place here to leave the illegal path and enter the rule of law with an impressive agricultural contract structure, where there is a buyer at a fixed and fair price,” said Colombian President Ivan Duque.
Under the project, Nespresso will sell coffee in capsules in more than 800 company stores around the world, said Jean-Marc Duvoisin, Executive Director of the company.
The Howard G. Buffett Foundation will spend $ 2 million on efforts to improve the farms and infrastructure of the area, including a medical center, warehouse, and water and road works.
Colombia has long been considered the world's largest cocaine producer. The government wants to destroy more than 200,000 hectares (494,210 acres) of coca through voluntary replacement and forced destruction programs by the military.
