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Profile of Las Colinas in El Salvador |
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The Las Colinas co-operative in El Salvador is collectively farmed
and managed on the site of an old coffee plantation. The agrarian
reform of 1980 redistributed land throughout El Salvador from
the hands of large-scale coffee growers into the hands of coffee
pickers and laborers alike. But, exorbitant interest rates on the
loans used to purchase the land came at a high cost and today
the producers still struggle to finance their debt and stay on their
land. Equal Exchange is supporting the co-op members' endeavors
by purchasing the majority of their coffee crop. We're working
with Las Colinas to readjust their debt and find alternative ways to
improve their finances.
The war of the 1980s also had a devastating effect on the natural
environment due to widespread deforestation. Las Colinas is
located near the border of Guatemala and forms part of the buffer
zone for El Imposible National Park, habitat to endangered pumas,
emerald toucans, and fresh waterfalls. Las Colinas has taken steps
to preserve their natural resources; they recently converted their
coffee to organic and have invested in eco-depulpers to reduce
the amount of water they use during processing.
Order Organic Las Colinas 5lb bulk coffee online at Retail Store
Order Organic Las Colinas 5lb bulk coffee online at Interfaith Store
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