Project News

Are you familiar with the coffee flower? When we visit communities in the Project area, sometimes we find coffee trees that were planted for home consumption or for small-scale sale.  Around the month of February, the coffee trees blossom with tiny white flowers.  Generally it is said that white flowers are more fragrant and the coffee plant is not an exception to that rule because its flowers are very sweet smelling.  (But of course, they don't smell like the toasted coffee beans!)

Naturally the coffee tree needs to bloom first in order to produce the coffee beans, but I am so used to seeing its branches laden with the red coffee cherries that when I saw the flowers for the first time it seemed to me like a different tree.

(Photos 1 & 2): From the Victoriano Lorenzo community (February 12, 2009)

(Mr. Isao SAKAI, Chief Advisor / Rural Development)