COSTA RICA - COFFEE WITH WOMEN'S HANDS

Coffee has been one of the economic, cultural and social pillars of Costa Rica for over 200 years. Within this activity, women have played a fundamental role, although it has long remained invisible. Their participation encompasses all stages of the coffee value chain: production, harvesting, management, export and entrepreneurship. However, challenges persist that Costa Rican women must face due to their reduced presence in the final stages of the value chain, which generates wage gaps, unequal distribution of work, difficulties in accessing credit and financing, among other issues. The future of coffee in Costa Rica is "in the hands" of Costa Rican women, closely linked to their empowerment and active participation in all stages of the value chain. For this reason, IILA, within the framework of the Project "Entrepreneurial Training in Latin America with a Gender Approach", funded by Italian Development Cooperation, has carried out an initiative in collaboration with the Costa Rica Coffee Institute - ICAFE, a local partner with whom IILA has signed an Agreement, with the aim of strengthening the role of women in the Costa Rican coffee supply chain through a technical training program in roasting held in the 6 producing regions of the country.