Our value chain approach
Eight provides unconditional cash transfers (UCT) to farmers and artisanal miners to accelerate productivity and income and improve their livelihoods.
The majority of farmers active in global commodities like coffee and cocoa are earning far below the living income benchmark. Especially young people and women are vulnerable. They usually do not benefit directly from price increases and premiums. In many cases, children have to contribute to the family income, and therefore drop out (partly/entirely) of the school system.
In artisanal mining communities, miners have little bargaining power and receive barely any governance support. From what they earn, they can’t build a decent living. In these communities, UCT has proven impact on basic needs (housing, schooling, health, nutrition), professionalization and diversification of the economic activity (paid labour, protective equipment, increased processing and better price bargaining) and leads to collective action (community groups, savings and credits).
Farmers and miners, and their families receive monthly payments for a period of two years. In the first year, people will mainly invest, while in the second year they will save more. This is how they prepare for the end of the project, making livelihood impacts will last after the exit.
EIGHT works with the various actors in the value chains. They are involved in setting the change strategy that leverages the achievement of ESG and SDGs and contributes to the CSDDD. Within these regulatory frameworks, UCT offers a strongly grounded solution.
