JOJI’S ENHANCED VISION FOR PEACEBUILDING THROUGH SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN MINDANAO
In the heart of Mindanao, a powerful movement is brewing—led by visionary peacebuilder Joji Pantoja, CEO of Coffee for Peace and President of the Davao Region Coffee Council. Through coffee, Joji is transforming conflict-affected and Indigenous communities into empowered partners for peace and sustainability. Her leadership brings together grassroots wisdom, academic research, and entrepreneurial innovation. By partnering with local state colleges, she strengthens climate-smart farming and improves coffee quality from soil to cup. She also pioneered coffee tourism as an educational journey that connects people to the land, the farmers, and the story behind every brew. For Joji, coffee is not just a product—it’s a platform for justice, healing, and cultural celebration. And now, she invites us all to join her in brewing peace, one cup at a time.
Coffee as a Pathway to Peace and Prosperity
Under Joji’s dynamic leadership, Coffee for Peace works directly with Indigenous Peoples and Islamized farming communities—many of whom have been deeply affected by conflict. But in Joji’s hands, coffee becomes more than a crop. It becomes a platform for healing, dialogue, and reconciliation.
Through values-based training in social entrepreneurship, sustainable agriculture, and post-harvest excellence, CFP empowers farmers to take pride in their work, protect their ancestral lands, and participate meaningfully in the coffee value chain. They are not only producers—they are peacebuilders and guardians of biodiversity.
Merging Science and Ancestral Wisdom: The Power of Academic Partnerships
Joji knows that peacebuilding thrives when knowledge and collaboration go hand-in-hand. That’s why she has cultivated strong partnerships with Davao del Sur State College (DSSC) and Davao de Oro State College (DdOSC).
• DSSC provides vital scientific support—soil testing, varietal profiling, and climate-smart farming techniques—to help farmers increase both quality and climate resilience.
• DdOSC, meanwhile, is working closely with CFP to enhance certified seedling production, improving nursery management and ensuring varietal traceability across different growing zones.
Together, these institutions bridge the gap between research and reality—strengthening communities with tools, data, and hope.
Transforming Travel: The Coffee Tourism Experience
A game-changing initiative under Joji’s leadership is the Coffee Tourism Experience, a collaboration with Dasig Turismo led by Director Tanya Rabat Tan. This immersive journey invites Filipinos and global travelers alike to experience coffee as a story, not just a beverage.
Visitors will:
• Engage directly with Indigenous communities in the highlands of Davao,
• Plant a coffee tree and learn how climate, soil, and culture shape the bean,
• Meet a woman farmer-entrepreneur who has built a thriving business through coffee,
• Immerse themselves in CFP’s story of peacebuilding through trade and justice,
• Visit the Davao Coffee Innovation and Research Center, the region’s first,
• Try their hand at coffee mixology—blending creativity, culture, and caffeine.
This isn’t tourism. It’s transformation. It’s education. It’s storytelling through the senses.
Coffee as a Culture of Peace
Joji Pantoja believes that peace can start with a simple, shared cup of coffee. In conflict-affected communities, these moments of gathering create safe spaces for truth-telling, collaboration, and reconciliation.
Each bag of Coffee for Peace beans carries more than flavor—it carries a story. A story of resilience, dignity, and community. A story that says: peace is possible when we honor the land, elevate our farmers, and value one another.
Living Her Calling, Walking with the People
This journey is deeply personal for Joji. For years, she has walked alongside Mindanao’s farmers, learning from their traditions, amplifying their voices, and helping to build a just and inclusive economy from the ground up.
“The real richness of Mindanao,” Joji says, “is not just in land or minerals—it’s in our people. In our ways of growing food, preparing it slowly, and living in harmony with the earth.”
To her, coffee is sacred. It’s a cultural artifact, a climate solution, and a peace offering—all in one.
A Call to Journey with Us
Today, Joji invites all of us—citizens, travelers, students, and changemakers—to become part of this movement.
“Let’s journey together,” she says. “Support our farmers. Learn from our Indigenous Peoples. Protect our forests. And brew a culture of peace—one seed, one cup, and one community at a time.”
