Producer Profiles

CAFNORCA - Cooperativa de Caficultores del Norte de Caldas

The Cooperativa de Caficultores del Norte de Caldas (CAFNORCA) was founded in 1963 by a group of small coffee farmers looking to improve their market access and productivity level. It was with these same motives they became Fair Trade Certified in 2004. The cooperative has 2,668 members, 30 percent of which are women, spread across the Colombian coffee-growing region of Caldas.
 

Programs

Environmental Sustainability

CAFNORCA invests Fair Trade premiums to fund trainings in sustainable management and promote organic certification. So far, at least 10 farms have obtained organic certification. Many CAFNORCA members cultivate shade-grown coffee. The cooperative is also establishing farms to produce natural fertilizers and pest controls for their production use.

Housing Improvements

CAFNORCA allocates Fair Trade premiums for a home improvement fund. Members can access this fund to elevate their quality of life from the standard precarious conditions of rural living abodes.

Youth Outreach

CAFNORCA organizes youth programs and trainings aiming to strengthen their administrative skills and environmental knowledge. The cooperative is thus fomenting the next generation of organizational leaders and promoting the continued evolution toward more sustainable production practices.