Grow Ahead Launches New Agroforestry Project with COMSA Coffee Farmers in Honduras

Supporting Regenerative Agriculture and Small-Scale Coffee Farmers Through Tree Planting and Farmer-to-Farmer Training

Portland, OR — Grow Ahead, a nonprofit supporting small-scale farmers in developing resilient local food systems, is proud to announce a new agroforestry project in partnership with COMSA (Café Orgánico Marcala), a coffee farmer-led cooperative in Honduras dedicated to organic and regenerative farming.

This new project, Enhancing Climate Resilience for Coffee Farmers, will support COMSA farmers in planting over 160,000 trees across coffee farms and diversified production systems in the Marcala region of Honduras. By integrating shade trees, food crops, and native plants into their farming practices, COMSA members are improving soil health, increasing biodiversity, restoring degraded land, and building long-term resilience in the face of climate change.

"COMSA is a model for farmer and community-driven innovation," said Taryn Lemmon, Program Manager of Grow Ahead. "Their commitment to regenerative agriculture and farmer-to-farmer education is inspiring, and we’re honored to support their next phase of agroforestry work."

Grow Ahead’s partnership with COMSA will directly support:

• The establishment of diversified agroforestry systems on member farms
• Farmer-led trainings through COMSA’s farmer-member network
• Expansion of native tree nurseries
• Reforestation of communal lands

COMSA is widely recognized for their holistic approach to organic farming, emphasizing ecological balance, community well-being, and education. With over 1,500 small-scale farmer members, COMSA is a leader in sustainable coffee production and farmer education.

“First, we need to plant the seed in the human mind and then in the farm,” says the cooperative. “COMSA training is a practical way to show small coffee producers organic alternatives to the conventional production processes that have mostly failed them.”

The project is part of Grow Ahead’s broader mission to fund community-led climate solutions and scale agroforestry as a tool for food sovereignty, climate resilience, and economic empowerment. They do so with the support of donors and responsible business partners.

Support or learn more about the project.

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About Grow Ahead:

Grow Ahead is a nonprofit that supports small-scale farmers and their communities around the world. By partnering directly with farmer organizations, Grow Ahead funds community-led agroforestry projects that restore ecosystems and strengthen local food systems.

About COMSA:

Café Orgánico Marcala (COMSA) is a cooperative of small-scale organic coffee farmers based in Marcala, Honduras. Since its founding in 2001, COMSA has become a pioneer in regenerative organic agriculture, combining innovation with traditional knowledge to build thriving rural communities.