A Special Thanks & Best Wishes for 2014 to our Supporters from all of us at CFFI
Dear Friends,
2013 has been a banner year for CFFI, and our accomplishments reflect all three aspects of our mission. With your generous support, we have met and surpassed all of our 2013 goals, including
• helping cocoa farmers get their beans to market more efficiently;
• providing hands-on education for farmers so they can maximize the quality of their cocoa beans while preserving the benefits of traditional farming;
• providing farmers with an organic alternative to the petroleum-based fertilizers currently being used; and
• securing new sources of revenue for CFFI while creating a variety of new job opportunities for Grenadians.
• providing hands-on education for farmers so they can maximize the quality of their cocoa beans while preserving the benefits of traditional farming;
• providing farmers with an organic alternative to the petroleum-based fertilizers currently being used; and
• securing new sources of revenue for CFFI while creating a variety of new job opportunities for Grenadians.
Helping Farmers Get Their Beans to Market
This year we were able to buy a farming truck to assist in the collection of wet beans across the island. The impact of this purchase has been immediate and dramatic. When farmers don’t have to walk their beans to market, they can spend more time cultivating cocoa trees and learning new ways to enhance the quality and value of their product.
Continuing Education and Other Support for Farmers
In 2013 we turned three acres of abandoned farmland into a model teaching farm and spice garden. At the model farm, visitors and local farmers can learn new techniques in sustainable farming, grafting, and propagation. We were able to hire two full-time employees—local young men who are learning the art of cocoa farming from older, experienced farmers, whom we have hired as consultants. The model farm is a wonderful example of how we can boost economic development while promoting sustainable agriculture and biological diversity.
Our “Buy A Tree—Support A Farmer” campaign has also been a great success. With donations to this program, we have provided high-quality saplings, along with organic planting compost, to over forty farmers. By contributing to this campaign, our donors are providing direct assistance to farmers while helping to preserve a rare and delicate environment.
Looking Forward to 2014
We are looking forward to an even more successful year in 2014.
We can’t thank you enough!
