Our Vision

On the night of September 19, 2017 the small Caribbean island nation of Dominica experienced one of the worst Hurricanes in recorded history. Category Five Hurricane Maria ripped across the island, bringing with it 175 mph winds, intensive flooding, and widespread landslides. Over 80% of homes on the island were greatly affected and almost 100% of the agricultural production was destroyed according a United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) report.

With over 40% of the island’s labor force relying on agriculture as a primary occupation, the physical damage to Dominica’s farms will have a pervasive and long lasting influence on Dominica’s future. In order to ensure an expedited and sustainable recovery for the citizens of Dominica, innovative and ecologically beneficial agricultural practices must be employed in the aftermath of the storm.

The Dominica Coffee Revitalization Initiative (DCRI) is a nonprofit initiative seeking to rebuild the coffee industry on the island of Dominica. By incorporating cutting-edge sustainable agriculture techniques such as agroforestry, coffee varietal hybrids, and stratified planting, this project aims to reimagine the Dominican coffee production as an ecologically, culturally and economically beneficial sector. The DCRI intends to provide a long-term agricultural solution to disaster recovery while simultaneously promoting financial stability for farmers. In addition to enhancing forest growth in Dominica’s pristine landscape, this agroforestry project will decrease harmful inorganic pesticide and fertilizer runoff that currently threatens Dominica’s vulnerable reefs.

As the second most profitable commodity traded in the Global South, coffee represents an unparalleled source of income for farmers globally residing within the “coffee belt.” With favorable climatic conditions for the growth of high-quality coffee, Dominica has the potential to produce a unique specialty coffee product. As a nonprofit, the DCRI aims to unlock this massive potential.