Root Capital is a nonprofit organization that provides financing and customized trainings smallholder farmer cooperatives in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Root Capital works in underbanked jurisdictions such as Nicaragua and the Democratic Republic of Congo and serves communities particularly vulnerable to climate change and commodity market whims. Root Capital’s mix of financing and customized training in finance, business, women empowerment, climate change resilience, agronomic capacity and digital tools help ensure business sustainability and support inclusive prosperity. Root Capital also helps cooperatives gain Fair Trade certificates to increase incomes for their farmers.
An example beneficiary organization is SOPPEXCCA, a Fair Trade-certified organic coffee cooperative located in Jinotega, Nicaragua. 40% of its member farmers are women, many of whom gained land titles to produce, manage, and market their own coffee. SOPEXCCA invests profits into their membership through cervical cancer prevention programs, health training, scholarship programs, and school construction. These profits help meet SOPPEXCCA’s requirement that 100% of members’ children finish primary school.
Visit https://rootcapital.org/ for more information in both English and Spanish.
