Supporting Small Farmers as They Rebuild Their Country After Years of Civil War

Coffee farming has a long tradition in the Matagalpa and Jinotega departments of Nicaragua, dating back to the mid-1800s. The region's humid tropical forest climate, rich volcanic soil, and lush vegetation all contribute to the unique flavor of its internationally renowned coffee.

In 1997, with the aid of international financial organizations and the contributions of local farmers, the Organization of Northern Coffee Cooperatives, CECOCAFEN was founded to promote and sell its members' coffee. Initially, the organization devoted itself to strengthening its internal organization and studying the experiences of other Nicaraguan coffee organizations in order to create their own vision: a cooperative business - with a social character and economically profitable. Today, CECOCAFEN joins together 1,900 coffee farmers and exports more than 4 million pounds per year of its members' coffee.

CECOCAFEN has spent considerable effort to improve coffee quality. With a mix of loans, grants, and their own funds generated from Fair Trade revenues, CECOCAFEN purchased a coffee-processing facility, SolCafé, in May 1999. The members are now owners of the mill, allowing them to process the coffee, control for quality, and increase the incomes of their members. A cupping lab was installed so that their coffee could be sampled and tested prior to shipment. CECOCAFEN technicians also conduct quality control workshops in the field. Not only are steps being taken at SolCafé to improve the cooperatives' coffee, but careful attention has been taken to improve the quality of the work environment as well. For example, workers at SolCafé are paid competitive wages and care is taken to provide for their health and safety at the workplace.

Recently, CECOCAFEN launched an exciting, new ecotourism project which will generate additional income for the farming families, educate visitors about coffee production and Fair Trade, and foster an increased awareness and protection of their natural resources. Youth have been trained to identify the local flora and fauna and to serve as guides to the visitors. The women are organized into committees and are learning how to appropriately house and feed the visitors. The appreciation that visitors show upon visiting the cooperatives for the vast wealth and diversity of natural resources, reinforces the importance of conservation and environmental practices in the eyes of cooperative members.

"The cooperative that works with its hands is a cooperative of workers. The cooperative that works with its hands and its minds is a community of artisans. The cooperative that works with its hands, minds and hearts is a community of artists." —CECOCAFEN