COOPFAM - Coop dos Agricultores Familiares de Poço Fundo

Cooperativa dos Agricultores Familiares de Poço Fundo e Região LTDA (Coopfam) is an association of small-scale farmers located in the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. Coopfam was formed from a collective desire to improve the living standard of farmers and to reduce poverty and emigration. In 1991, 76 families united to form the cooperative, determined to increase the productivity of their small plots and to sustain the quality of family-oriented agriculture in the region. Coopfam was Fair Trade Certified™ by Fairtrade International (FLO) in 1998 and began exporting to the U.S. in 2003. Coopfam is one of fifteen Brazilian Fair Trade Certified producer groups that participated in the 2007-2010 Responsible Sourcing Partnership (RSP) project. The RSP project designed to improve the quality of Brazilian coffee, increase market linkages and raise producer capacity. Through the project, Coopfam participated in cooperative governance trainings, business management trainings, cupper trainings and post-harvest best practices trainings to improve coffee quality. The Fair Trade premium has enabled Coopfam to establish various productive and social programs. Among many projects, Coopfam has hired an agricultural technician to help with production and quality, improved their administrative capabilities with new office equipment, strengthened their health care program and developed an education program that teaches computer skills.