A clean, affordable fuel source for coffee farmers here in the remote hills outside Yali, Jinotega was a byproduct of a of a wastewater management pilot program in Nicaragua sponsored by the sustainable-certification labeling organization UTZ Certified with support from the Dutch government. Along with purifying the acidic wastewater from the coffee milling process, the so-called biogas is helping improve the quality of life for many small farmers here.
A series of pilot projects in Nicaragua funded by the Dutch government and the sustainable certification label UTZ have seen positive results reducing water consumption, treating wastewater and providing farmers with a clean burning fuel as a byproduct.
The supermarket chain’s new "Responsibly Grown" produce rating system was launched earlier in October and divides fruits, flowers and vegetables into three categories: Good, Better and Best, based on suppliers’ farming practices.
