Bridging Ideas and Impact: Erasmus University Research Team visits the CFC
On June 11, 2025, the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) hosted a delegation from the International Research Project (IRP) of Erasmus School of Economics, fostering a vibrant exchange between emerging scholars and development finance experts. This engagement underscored CFC’s dual commitment to academic partnership and practical innovation in building equitable commodity value chains. The dialogue explored synergies between academic research and on-the-ground financial solutions, aligning with CFC’s mission to transform systemic barriers into opportunities for underserved producers.
The IRP team is made up of 15 master’s students from the Erasmus School of Economics, supported by AEclipse. As part of their five-month research project, a small delegation visited the CFC headquarters in Amsterdam to explore the feasibility of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) for smallholder coffee farmers in Colombia. Their research focuses on grassroots certification models that emphasize sustainability, transparency, and local ownership—principles that closely align with the CFC’s approach to building inclusive and equitable value chains.
CFC Managing Director Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal led the dialogue alongside Impact Strategy Officer Mathias Cooman and Impact Investment Manager Ernesto Daza Lacouture, sharing operational insights from CFC's field experience. The team highlighted practical lessons from impact investment management, including their partnership with Colombian coffee processor Sunterra SAS through CFC's impact investment facility.
Strategic Dialogue on Value Chain Innovation
The discussion explored critical sector challenges, including:
- Structural limitations of global certification systems
- Digital solutions for traceability and consumer engagement
- Building trust-based alternatives for smallholder market access
The IRP researchers presented preliminary fieldwork findings and solicited expert feedback on developing cost-effective, bottom-up models for specialty coffee value assurance.
Commitment to Next-Generation Solutions
"The barriers smallholders face—from opaque pricing to certification complexity—demand fresh perspectives," emphasized Managing Director Belal. "The IRP's field-grounded approach represents exactly the kind of innovative thinking needed to drive systemic change."
Supporting Field Research Excellence
CFC equipped the students with practical resources for their Colombia fieldwork, including:
- Impact measurement frameworks
- Contextual sampling methodologies
- Alignment with Global Coffee Data Standard indicators
Forward-Looking Partnership
This engagement reinforced CFC's dedication to academic collaboration that bridges theory and practice. The Fund anticipates ongoing cooperation with IRP and welcomes partnerships with institutions committed to transforming agricultural value chains through evidence-based, inclusive approaches.
About the IRP 2025 Project
Led by AEclipse, the study association of Erasmus School of Economics, the 2025 IRP explores the feasibility and impact of implementing Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) for smallholder coffee farmers in Colombia. This alternative certification model aims to reduce costs, enhance sustainability, and empower farmers through collaborative decision-making and peer review. The project combines desk research in the Netherlands with fieldwork in Colombia in June 2025.
For more information, visit: https://www.aeclipse.nl/
For media inquiries, please contact:
[CFC Media Relations Team]
[Email: managing.director@common-fund.org]
[Phone: +31 20 575 4949]