Driving positive and sustainable change in coffee farming
OUR PURPOSE
The ViFOUNDATION drives positive and sustainable change on and around coffee farms. The mitigation of risks and improvement of livelihoods of coffee partners and their communities are our central concern. We specifically promote the development of progressive agricultural practices among coffee farmers.
ViCAFE x ViFOUNDATION
The ViFOUNDATION is an independent foundation under Swiss law and regulated by the Federal Foundation Supervisory Authority. ViCAFE supports the ViFOUNDATION financially through donations and pro bono work.
ViCAFE makes a pledge, from July 2023 onwards, to donate 1CHF to the ViFOUNDATION for every kg of coffee sold.
We believe that the independence of the ViFOUNDATION puts emphasis on the significance of the problems we see in coffee producing countries. The ViFOUNDATION is an open platform for companies, organizations and individuals that want to help changing coffee farming.
OUR PROJECTS
Bring back the Trees - Mondul Afforestation Program
KURT LAMBERT Chairman & Co-Founder & Chairman of ViCAFE, Drives different ventures
JOHAMMA JACOBI Member // Assistant Professor of Agroecological Transitions at ETH Zurich
MARK HEASMAN Member & Head of Activism at Zurich Foundation, Sustainability-focussed philanthropy expert
PASCAL HERZOG Member & Executive Management Team at ViCAFE: Sourcing, Roastery, Bakery & Impact
SILVIO MATTANZA Member & Vice-Chairman Board Member at ViCAFE, Risk & Compliance Officer at Spectravest
Kurt Lambert
Chairman // Co-Founder, Chairman of ViCAFE, Drives different ventures
Johanna Jacobi
Member // Assistant Professor of Agroecological Transitions at ETH Zurich
Mark Heasman
Member // Head of Activism at Zurich Foundation, Sustainability-focussed philanthropy expert
PASCAL HERZOG
Member // Executive Management Team at ViCAFE: Sourcing, Roastery, Bakery & Impact
SILVIO MATTANZA
Member // Vice-Chairman Board Member at ViCAFE, Risk & Compliance Officer at Quantex
CONTACT
Bring back the Trees
Mondul Afforestation Program
Monocultures typically increase the vulnerabilities of ecosystems towards climate change. Forests, on the other hand, increase biodiversity, create microclimates with reduced temperatures and protect soil from erosion. Therefore, we started an afforestation project on the ViCAFE’s partner farm in Tanzania, Mondul Coffee Estate. The employees of the farm will also intercrop coffee with other fruits and vegetables, making them economically more resilient towards droughts and market changes. By the end of 2023, there will be 46 acres of newly planted indigenous forest on the beautiful hills of the Monduli Mountains with about 100 more acres to be transformed into a diverse and drought resistant forest in the coming years.
Where
Mondul Coffee Estate Monduli, Tanzania
When
2022 – ongoing
budget
USD 58.122
APROLMA'S WISHLIST
Since 2016 ViCAFE works together with the Aprolma Women’s Cooperative in La Paz, Honduras (65 members). When visiting in 2022 we sat together with some of the women and asked them about what they wish for. In the end we had a list with nine very hands-on wishes. Together with the staff of ViCAFE we collected the required 7000 USD.
Where
Honduras, La Paz
When
2022/2023
budget
USD 4723
BRING WATER UP
Solar water pump for irrigation
Daniel and his family are owners of a small farm in Kenya’s Kiambu County. They would like to take better advantage of a small river that flows in the valley at the bottom of their farm by installing a solar powered irrigation pump.
Where
Kenya, Kiambu
When
2023
budget
USD 5247
BIO FABRICA
Compost Program on Finca Los Nogales
Oscar, the owner of Finca los Nogales in Colombia, has observed that green waste in the neighbouring local town Bruselas is collected but not transformed into useful compost. To change this, we would like to build a larger compost-factory on his farm which allows him to professionally process organic waste from the town as well as his own farm. In addition, he will organize regular workshops and help us to develop learning-modules for other coffee farmers that are keen to learn more about regenerative coffee farming.
Where
Finca Los Nogales, Huila, Colombia
When
2022 – 2023
budget
USD 13’501
Farmer Participation Program
TEST PROJECT
Under this project, coffee farmers would be granted equity-like financial rights in ViCAFE. This would allow them to directly participate in the company’s growth and financial success. Currently we are testing the program in Colombia.