Latin America

Asociación de Productores de Café Diferenciados y Especiales de Guatemala (ASPROCDEGUA) is a producing organization with 664 contributing members, the women of whom have separated out some of their coffee to make this Women Coffee Producers offering. The producing members own small farms, an average of 2 hectares each, on which they plant coffee as well as other crops for diversification, including bananas, citrus fruit like oranges and lemons, avocado, guava, and cassava. The organization offers its members access to technical assistance and routinely provides services such as soil analysis, test farms, and social projects based on food security, education, and nutrition.

The smallholders of ASPROCDEGUA are from several different municipalities within the area, including San Marcos, Cuilco, Colotenango, Santa Bárbara, San Sebastián Huehuetenango, Sipacapa, San Antonio Huisa, Cantinil Union, San Pedro Necta, Todos Santos, and Concepción Huista.

In 1989, folowing the Mexican governments abandonment of the coffee sector due to budget cuts, the Oaxacan State Coffee Producers Network (CEPCO) was established. CEPCO was able to unite small producers throughout the Oaxacan region and uses the revenue from their Fair Trade sales to provide credit and savings support for its members, promote women’s organization and technical assistance to families, provide life insurance for members and to fund infrastructure improvements. Currently 90% of CEPCO’s farmers own less than 2 hectares.

In 1989, folowing the Mexican governments abandonment of the coffee sector due to budget cuts, the Oaxacan State Coffee Producers Network (CEPCO) was established. CEPCO was able to unite small producers throughout the Oaxacan region and uses the revenue from their Fair Trade sales to provide credit and savings support for its members, promote women’s organization and technical assistance to families, provide life insurance for members and to fund infrastructure improvements. Currently 90% of CEPCO’s farmers own less than 2 hectares.