Over the course of 2024, we watched as coffee and cocoa prices approached or reached record highs. The situation highlighted the critical role that stable supply chains, and reliable weather patterns play in our global economy. And just as important, the interdependence among every actor in the supply chain.
While high prices may seem like a windfall for farmers, it presents a challenge for producer organizations, unprepared to effectively handle such volatility; roasters and importers struggle, too. Our research on value distribution in coffee provided detailed insights into how value is shared across the value chain and showed ways that these risks can be better mitigated.
At Solidaridad, we’re used to this role, implementing small-, medium- and large-scale projects and programmes, and also harvesting learnings that help farmers and all of our partners build resilience and manage uncertainty. We are proud to celebrate another year of harvest.
A RELIABLE PARTNER FOR PROGRESS
In 2024, we delivered significant outcomes and impacts across our programmes, globally. Despite a challenging funding landscape and a slowing global economy, we secured Euro 78 million to drive sustainable development and power change that matters. This investment in our work is a testament to the effectiveness of our pragmatic approach and a regional focus that meets local needs.
We’re grateful for collaboration with private sector partners, governments and the public sector, civil society and service providers that enabled us to reach over 1.2 million farmers, who experienced improved yields with more than 770,000 of them increasing farm income. Our work with service providers has resulted in access for 750,000 farmers and miners to new or improved services which are essential to improve their farms or mines.
Our efforts in the social and economic spheres were complemented by strong outcomes in environmental stewardship. Currently, over 2.3 million hectares of land are under sustainable management. These efforts contributed significantly to environmental goals, resulting in the avoidance, sequestration, or removal of 130,508 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. Much of our success comes through the implementation of sustainable practices, including agroforestry, climate-smart farming, and regenerative agriculture.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
We are also proud of how we continue to grow and professionalize as a global network organization. In 2024, our team grew to 1,514 globally, exceeding projections, and welcomed 153 new colleagues. In line with the network spirit, we strengthened our regional offices. We gave room to insights from every region and built our programmes and strategy together. To ensure consistency with our mission, we rolled out a digital learning platform, invested in staff well-being and development, and strengthened diversity and inclusion efforts.
Integrity remains a focus with dedicated teams in our regional and country offices, frameworks, and protocols in place. We have continued improving or professionalizing our internal systems in the areas of HR, Finance, IT, communications and PMEL. Overall, more than 40 evaluations have been conducted worldwide allowing us to better understand the impact and contribution of our work – helping us to adapt and adjust where necessary.
I invite you to read through our regional annual reports, and check out the inspiring stories and the teachable moments we chronicled on our website in 2024.