SAP and the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation Bolster Sustainable Coffee Farming and Support Rural Workers
November 7, 2013 /3BL Media/ — SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) announced today that it has joined forces with the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) and the Manuel Mejía Foundation to improve the quality of life for Colombian farmers as part of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project. The three groups have come together to provide coffee farmers with the technology and training they need to develop more sustainable business practices.
Technology continues to be scarce among rural communities in Colombia. In an effort to help change this reality, SAP donated technical training to more than 500 coffee growers, teaching them how to effectively use mobile tablets and computers. They will also learn how to use the “coffee portal,” which runs on SAP technology. Using the new coffee portal on their mobile devices or computers, farmers and their families can obtain relevant information such as coffee market news, geographical farm information, coffee purchasing conditions, incentives and support programs.
“Like SAP, we are committed to sustainable business practices, and FNC is dedicated to supporting rural coffee communities,” said Luis Acero, chief operating officer, FNC. “Working with SAP is essential to bringing technology to rural areas of the country. Helping farmers become familiar with tools like the coffee portal and access to the portal, gives them access to important business information that helps shape their market activities.”
As a pioneer implementing SAP® software for companies in Colombia, the FNC created the coffee portal to have consolidated information supported by SAP technology that allows all coffee farmers to be connected and informed about the coffee industry. Through the Manuel Mejía Fundation, the FNC contributes education programs for the entire rural sector of Colombia’s coffee growers.
To learn more, watch a video from SAP TV: “Hand-Picked Quality: Columbian Coffee and SAP.” For more information, visit the SAP Newsroom. Follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews and @sustainableSAP.
Media Contact:
Robin Meyerhoff, +1 (650) 440-2572, robin.meyerhoff@sap.com, PST
About the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC)
The FNC is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1927 that represents over 500,000 coffee growing families. Considered one of the largest rural organizations in the world, its mission is to improve the well-being and the quality of life of Colombian coffee producers. Under its Sustainability that Matters® programs, the FNC has developed an integral sustainability policy focused on coffee growers that includes productive, social and environmental initiatives. It also develops scientific research, technology transfer and social and industrial processes, supporting Colombian coffee production and commercialization. For more information, please visit: www.federaciondecafeteros.org, www.cafedecolombia.com.
About the Manuel Mejía Fundation
Manuel Mejía Fundation is the entity of the FNC, responsible of formulate and execute policies, strategies and educations programs for the coffee and rural sector in Colombia. For more than 50 years, the NGO develops and leads educational processes that promote the welfare of the rural and urban Colombian communities, through the design, development, implementation and evaluation of programs that are implemented through methods and distance supported by ICT and printed materials. More information, go to: www.fmm.edu.co.
