Handover of the funding notice at the Fair Trade fair by State Minister Theresa Schopper
The agroforestry project promotes the conversion of the coffee fields, away from monoculture towards an ecologically diverse system that, in addition to coffee, also supplies lumber, firewood and food. Around 10.000 small farmers in 15 cooperatives will benefit from the project.
Philipp Keil, Managing Director of the Baden-Württemberg Development Cooperation Foundation (SEZ), was able to accept a check for 185.800 euros for the agroforestry project in Burundi on the opening day of the Fair Trade trade fair. The SEZ's cooperation partners in the project in Burundi are the University of Forestry in Rottenburg, Weltpartner eG in Ravensburg, Naturland and the Burundian coffee cooperative association COCOCA.
The check was presented by State Minister Theresa Schopper, who is also Chairwoman of the SEZ Board of Trustees, and Ministerial Director Grit Puchan from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Rural Areas and Consumer Protection. In view of the political situation in Baden-Württemberg's partner country Burundi, State Minister Schopper said: “I think it is important that we continue to support what has grown over many years. Civil society is our most important partner in Burundi at the moment.”
Grit Puchan added: “Burundi needs us to stand by our partnership.” We have to work on smart projects and the agroforestry project is one of them. This project is a “fantastic project,” said Philipp Keil, who also emphasized the importance of the partnership with Burundi.
