Small coffee producers in Minas Gerais face serious difficulties in harvesting coffee, due to inefficiencies in production and isolation in the processing.
The consequence is the production of a low quality product, which is sold at a below average price.

This problem, coupled with the lack of knowledge and entrepreneurial skills and the high costs of production, causes coffee production to be seen as an activity which makes an excessively low profit, encouraging young people to abandon the land.

Although this is an opportunity, it also presents several challenges due to the low level of organisation and of technical or financial support. As a result, productivity remains low, along with producers' incomes.

In addition, farmers' organisations are in turn in a situation of weakness and remoteness from the market.

Through its intervention, the Lavazza Foundation is committed to structuring farmers into collective organisations, strengthening and improving governance, management and operations. Within organisations, producers can learn concepts that support them in their production business and in their trade.