DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - I HOPE IT RAINS COFFEE IN THE FIELDS

The song "Ojalá que llueva café en el campo" by Juan Luis Guerra, a Dominican singer-songwriter, expresses the desire for prosperity, abundance, and relief from poverty. The idea of "raining coffee" symbolizes a divine blessing, a miraculous solution to the difficulties of the rural world, where people depend on crops to survive. In this context, beyond wishing for this "coffee rain" to fall, it is important to diversify income sources in the coffee sector, so that women coffee producers or workers can expand their income beyond selling green coffee beans. Carrying out non-coffee agricultural activities related to finca management reduces risks, increases the family's economic resilience, and can strengthen their financial autonomy. One of the key factors for successful diversification is access to technical training on processes, quality, and entrepreneurship. IILA, as part of the "Entrepreneurial Training in Latin America with a Gender Approach" Project, funded by Italian Development Cooperation, has implemented a project in collaboration with the Dominican Coffee Institute – INDOCAFE, a local partner, to strengthen the capabilities of 20 young women in food product processing using local fruits and vegetables, with the aim of promoting the socio-economic empowerment of women in the coffee sector, fostering value addition in the production chain, diversifying income sources, and creating decent work in coffee-growing communities.