Composting, the natural process of breaking down organic matter into soil, is well-known throughout the farming world. With proper management, the resulting material can be a valuable fertilizer with none of the risks associated with chemical fertilizers. The addition of worms, nature’s digesters, speeds up the process, increases biodiversity in the soil, and increases valuable nutrients such as nitrogen.

Climate change effects in Guatemala necessitate urgent action. On coffee farms, as in much of the world’s agriculture, chemical fertilizers contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, and improper use leads to nitrogen leaching, soil acidification, and greenhouse gas release. Simultaneously, coffee farmers often struggle with fertilizer prices and lack affordable organic alternatives, with resulting poor soil nutrition often damaging quality and yields.

Project Outline

20 Farms

In 2025, Primavera’s worm compost project will kick off with support from our partners at US-based non-profit The Chain Collaborative. Starting with 20 pilot farms, each will be given materials and training throughout the season - free of charge - to test the efficacy of worm compost on improving soil health, reducing chemical fertilisers, and reducing farmer costs. In order to increase the effectiveness of the compost, our agronomy team will also be testing the efficacy of biochar, a porous material produced by pyrolysis which encourages the slow release of nutrients, increases soil humidity and can reduce nitrogen loss. 

In 2026, using knowledge gained from the first year of the pilot, the project will target a larger group of farmers with additional kits and training, with the aim to add new farms onto the project year on year for the foreseeable future.