Helping coffee remain a livelihood worth investing in
Most of us experience coffee as part of everyday life. A morning routine. A catch-up with friends. Something comforting, familiar and easy to take for granted.
For many families in Timor-Leste, coffee is something else entirely. In spite of the country being one of the world’s most oil-dependent economies, production of fossil fuels has now halted and the entire nation faces a major economic transition.
Coffee is the second-largest source of income yet around half of coffee-farming families live below the poverty line. Productivity is a core issue: aging trees, poor nutrition, and degraded soils mean farms produce only around 20% of the global average, limiting income, stability and the long term opportunity many families need.
Alongside our export partner Raw Material and a wider network of coffee businesses, we’re supporting Phase Two of the 11 Million Trees Project: a long-term initiative helping create stronger foundations for coffee-growing communities across Timor-Leste.
What support looks like
The 11 Million Trees Project is a 25-year initiative led by Raw Material and supported by partners across the coffee industry.
Its goal is simple: help coffee become a more viable and resilient livelihood for the families who depend on it.
The name reflects the scale of change needed. Replanting millions of coffee and shade trees is part of the solution, but the project also focuses on improving the systems that sit around them; from processing and infrastructure to training, renewable energy and access to higher-value markets.
Because planting new trees alone isn’t enough. Coffee relies on healthy soil, effective processing, access to markets, reliable infrastructure and farming systems capable of creating meaningful value for the people growing it.
That’s why the project takes a whole-system approach to strengthening coffee production and supporting long-term livelihoods.
This includes:
- Replanting ageing coffee trees with higher-yielding varieties
- Testing coffee varieties better suited to changing climates
- Improving soil health and farm productivity
- Strengthening coffee processing and quality control
- Expanding access to specialty coffee markets
- Developing renewable energy-powered community infrastructure
- Exploring sustainable building materials and local solutions, including treated bamboo and recycled waste streams
The goal isn’t simply producing more coffee. It’s helping create the conditions that allow coffee-growing communities to build stronger futures through coffee.
What’s changed so far
More than 10,000 coffee-growing households connected to the project
Years of collaboration have helped build relationships with coffee-growing communities across Timor-Leste.
Stronger coffee quality and market access
Producers connected to the project have consistently produced award-winning coffees and gained access to higher-value specialty markets.
New community processing infrastructure
Wet mills and drying stations are helping improve quality, consistency and the value farmers can receive for their coffee.
Renewable energy reaching remote communities
Solar-powered processing hubs are helping bring reliable energy access to off-grid coffee-growing regions.
New approaches being tested and shared
From coffee variety trials to bamboo construction and waste-reuse initiatives, the project continues to explore practical solutions designed around local needs and long-term resilience.
Knowledge and training reaching more producers
The video training programme, agronomy support and years of on-the-ground collaboration are helping share practical knowledge around coffee production, quality and farm management across coffee-growing communities.
You shape what happens next
The name “11 Million Trees” reflects the scale of change the project hopes to support. Not simply through planting trees, but by creating stronger systems around them.
The long-term ambition is to increase productivity, improve coffee quality, strengthen climate resilience and help coffee remain a viable livelihood for the families who depend on it.
Projects like this won’t solve every challenge facing coffee overnight. But they can help create the conditions that allow coffee-growing communities to build stronger futures over time.
Behind every cup of coffee is a network of people, places and livelihoods connected to it. By supporting projects like this, you’re helping contribute to a future where coffee can continue creating opportunity for the communities who rely on it most.
Because when coffee creates enough value for the people growing it, investing in the future becomes possible: in farms, infrastructure, education, local businesses and the next generation of coffee producers.
Click the video to get an update on how the project is going so far
Thank you for being part of that future.