Melissa Patiño Pérez doesn’t separate the environmental from the human. In over a decade working in rural development, climate adaptation, and value chain strengthening, she’s learned that the two are inseparable and that’s the lens she brings to her new role as Progreso’s Country Manager for Colombia. An environmental engineer with a Master’s in Environment and Development, Melissa has spent her career on the ground, alongside communities, cooperatives, and institutions navigating the real tensions between agricultural production and ecosystem health. Her work has spanned climate change adaptation, regenerative agriculture, food security, and value chain development, always oriented toward the same question: how do we make sustainability generate genuine opportunity for the people and territories involved? In her new role, she’s particularly drawn to the potential she sees in Colombia’s coffee and cacao sectors, not just as economic engines, but as spaces where the right kind of support can meaningfully shift

Omar Martinez Martinez has spent the last six years in the coffee sector doing the kind of work that doesn’t make headlines but quietly moves things forward: technical assistance, project monitoring, hands-on support for producer organisations. Now he’s bringing that experience to Progreso as our new Agroforestry Specialist in Peru. What drew him here is simple: a shared belief that real, lasting change in rural communities comes through solutions that are both sustainable and inclusive. In his own words: “I joined Progreso because I share its vision of generating a positive impact in rural communities through sustainable and inclusive solutions for agriculture.” In his new role, he’s looking to keep growing, deepening his knowledge of the sector while contributing to the projects Progreso drives forward. Expect him to be involved in technical follow-up, work with producer organisations, and generating the kind of solid, grounded information that helps teams make good

Miurel Fargas brings something special to the Beyco team: years of hands-on experience in Nicaragua’s northern coffee zone, working directly with farmers in the field and supporting the commercial cooperatives that bring their coffee to market. Her background spans the full arc of the coffee value chain, from farm-level technical assistance, visiting producers plot by plot, to accompanying and strengthening marketing organizations. That grounded, relational approach is exactly what the Beyco Implementation Officer role calls for. For Miurel, joining Progreso is a chance to deepen her connection with producer organizations while introducing a new kind of tool: the Beyco Farmer app, a digital solution built to support smallholder farmers and the cooperatives that serve them. We’re glad to have her on the team.

Progreso Foundation is pleased to welcome a new Project Manager to our team, someone whose path into agricultural development was never a detour, but always the destination. Rooted from the start in a world where agriculture shapes daily life, our newest colleague built a career guided by a single conviction: that agricultural development must be people-centered, structured, and adapted to local contexts. A Master’s in Management of Agropastoral Enterprises and Organizations gave that conviction a framework; years in the field, with the Ministry of Agriculture, MIRAH, Action Against Hunger, and GIZ, gave it depth. Across those experiences, the thread remained consistent: analyzing value chains, supporting farmers, and contributing to initiatives that improve agricultural systems in lasting ways. Joining Progreso, he tells us, feels like a natural continuation of that journey. What motivates him most? Seeing projects come to life on the ground, create real value, and improve the living conditions

We are excited to welcome Kouassi Armand as the new Beyco Officer Côte d’Ivoire, joining us with more than ten years of field experience across West Africa. Armand’s background spans two worlds that rarely meet in one person: technical agroforestry and rural finance. He has worked as an agricultural client officer at Advans Côte d’Ivoire and as a field supervisor with ICRAF, building a practice around accompanying farmers, strengthening production systems, and promoting sustainable agriculture that delivers real economic and environmental results. It is that appetite for initiative and new challenges, he tells us, that brought him to Progreso, and we are glad it did. Welcome, Armand. We look forward to what we will build together.

We are happy to welcome Guy Laurent Boko as our newest team member, joining us from Côte d’Ivoire. Guy brings over a decade of hands-on experience in cocoa agriculture, most recently with CEMOI Côte d’Ivoire, where he led the agronomic department and managed fresh cocoa fermentation centers in Sassandra and Abengourou. That combination of field expertise and operational leadership makes him a natural fit for the work we do alongside farming communities. When we asked Guy what drew him to Progreso, his answer said it all: a deep passion for agricultural communities and a genuine belief in their potential. “I want to participate in this transformation,” he told us, “because I am passionate about agricultural communities and their well-being.“ Outside of work, Guy enjoys music, football, and exploring new places, and we sure hope the Progreso world gives him plenty of all three. We are thrilled to have him on

The answer, for most, is: more than they currently have. Not more ambition. Not more cocoa. More structure, more documentation, and a clearer picture of their own business than most have ever been asked to produce. That gap, between how cooperatives operate and what financial systems require, is what brought seven cooperatives together in late April for a two-day training on business planning and financial management. They came from across the archipelago: Jembrana and Tabanan in Bali, Ende in Flores, and Poso, Luwu Utara, Kolaka Timur, and Sikka in Sulawesi, all partners in TRACTION, a programme run by Rikolto Indonesia, Rainforest Alliance, and Kalimajari to improve livelihoods for small-scale cocoa farmers. Progreso was invited to deliver the training. The cooperative model is not new to these communities. But the model only works if the people running it understand their numbers, and in many cases, that understanding is still being built.

As Progreso team, we are happy to welcome our new colleague, Siske Annisa, who joins us as Financial & Business Advisor – Indonesia. Siske brings over a decade of experience in finance and accounting within the non-profit sector. Throughout her career, she have worked on strengthening financial systems, from restructuring accounting processes to improving audit outcomes, managing tax, and supporting partners with clear financial guidelines and hands-on technical assistance. Her work has consistently focused on helping organizations become more solid, transparent, and effective. As she told us, her motivation to join Progreso is closely tied to this focus. “What led me to Progreso is that you are working directly with farmers for sustainable supply chains, which is something that has been my interest,” she explained. In her new role, she is looking forward to working closely with cooperatives and contributing to their development. “I’m hoping I can collaborate and use

Progreso is looking for a Beyco Implementation Officer in Uganda. For the full ToR, please see here Across these three countries, we currently partner with 45 producer organizations. Together, we work to improve their access to finance, strengthen their operations, and support their transition toward more sustainable production. This is done through a combination of technical assistance, tailored financing via the Progreso Fund, and digital tools for data management and traceability through Beyco. Progreso Foundation is looking for a YEP- Beyco Implementation Support Officer based in Uganda. The YEP- Beyco Implementation Support Officer supports the rollout and ongoing success of our Beyco Farmer platform with partners – producer organizations and service providers. This role requires regular travel to visit partners, conduct on-site and remote training, and provide quick support and trouble shooting. You’ll be first point of contact of our local Beyco partners, ensuring that they can use the platform

We’re thrilled to welcome Christie Meza to the Progreso team! With over 18 years of experience in the coffee sector, Christie has worked with both multinational companies and local producer organizations, combining hands-on field experience with financial and strategic expertise. Her focus has always been clear: helping producer organizations grow sustainably, both environmentally and economically. Christie comes from a family of coffee growers, making this sector part of her story, not just her career. She was drawn to Progreso by our holistic approach to development and is excited to support producer organizations while helping Progreso strengthen its role as a trusted partner in the Peruvian market. Outside of work, she has a love for dogs, especially Argentine Dogos, and her dog Lucas already thinks he’s the true Country Manager at home! We’re excited to have Christie’s experience, energy, and passion on board as we continue working alongside producer organizations to