Generali and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) partner to promote the sustainable development of coffee production in Africa

Generali and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have today signed a joint declaration under the ACT Programme (Advancing Climate-Resilience and Transformation in African Coffee) to promote sustainable coffee production in Africa. The collaboration aims to strengthen international partnerships and technical cooperation to improve socio-economic conditions, enhance climate resilience, and support local value addition in key coffee-producing communities.

Within this initiative, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) under the EU Global Gateway and Italian Mattei Plan priorities, UNIDO acts as programme lead in partnership with the International Coffee Organization (ICO), the Inter-African Coffee Organization (IACO) and private sector partners. Generali, leveraging the expertise and capabilities of Generali Global Corporate and Commercial (GC&C), the Group’s centre of excellence for parametric insurance, supports the project as technical advisor.

The collaboration focuses initially on Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Malawi, applying a five-pillar approach: value addition, climate, compliance, research, and social inclusion, with finance as a cross-cutting enabler.

Andrea De Marco, Programme Manager and Partnership Advisor at UNIDO, said: “Through UNIDO’s ACT Programme, we are building resilient and sustainable agricultural value chains that create inclusive employment opportunities, add value locally, and protect our planet. The partnership with Generali is a strong example of how public and private actors can join forces to make this transformation a reality. Together, we aim to strengthen the livelihoods of coffee producers in Africa, enhance climate resilience, and promote fair and sustainable global trade in agricultural commodities.”

Lucia Silva, Group Chief Sustainability Officer at Generali, said: “The growing impact of climate change on agricultural production worldwide, including coffee production, is undeniable. In this context, insurance plays a critical role in strengthening climate resilience – particularly in developing economies that are more vulnerable to climate impacts. Addressing this global challenge requires a joint effort. Generali is proud to partner with UNIDO to promote solutions such as parametric insurance, supported by the expertise of Generali Global Corporate&Commercial. These solutions enhance the resilience and sustainable development of coffee production in Africa and help bridge the protection gap amid ever-increasing climate risks.”

The partners will focus their collaboration on three key areas:

• Promoting multi-stakeholder partnerships and public-private cooperation to mobilize resources and share knowledge for inclusive growth;
• Conducting joint studies with emphasis on parametric insurance for the coffee value chain in the African context;
• Fostering dialogue and impact measurement among public and private stakeholders, including practical tools for assessing social and environmental outcomes.

Through this partnership, UNIDO and Generali aim to contribute to more resilient and inclusive coffee value chains across Africa, supporting producers and local enterprises in adapting to climate change, improving livelihoods and strengthening sustainable trade. The collaboration under the ACT Programme demonstrates how public and private actors can combine expertise and resources to deliver tangible development impact aligned with global and regional priorities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).