It is perhaps the largest project focused on integrated water resource management that a coffee-producing country has implemented.
With an investment of over 25 million euros through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP, in which the Dutch and Colombian Governments, Nestlé, Nespresso and the University of Wageningen participated) during its six years (2013-2018), this project implemented by the FNC, with the technical and scientific support of Cenicafé, impacted over 11,600 coffee-growing families in 25 river basins of Antioquia, Caldas, Cauca, Nariño and Valle del Cauca.
The farms and the entire intervention area showed improvements in water management and greater capacity of the communities to make decisions on climate variability.
92% of the 25 river basins showed improved water quality, of which 40% achieved “good” quality downstream from the intervention zone.
For its scope and achievements, IWM received important awards, such as the 2018 Sustainability Award of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in the USA, in the category of Sustainable Projects.