Producer Profiles

COOPCAFER - Cooperativa Departamental Caficultores Risaralda

COOPCAFER, or the Cooperativa Departamental de Caficultores Risaralda, worker-owned and administered coffee organization in Colombia. It was formed to collectively produce and distribute goods and services for its associates and the communities in which they operate. Their mission is to guarantee the commercialization of coffee at a just price and offer complementary social development programs. Having gone through many changes, in structure and names since the late 1950’s, COOPCAFER came into its current form in 1994. Today, an estimated 3,495 people are members of the organization, with 17 agencies and 16 shops in the department of Risaralda, Colombia.
 

Quotable

“

Coffee growers’ initial objective was to look for someone to help us revive the farms after the parliamentary process. People didn’t want to go back to their farms. They wanted to abandon coffee, not only because of the violence – although all of them had experienced a lot of that. When we organized and got involved with Fair Trade, people reclaimed their farms and their lives as coffee farmers.  ”

José Fernando Aguirre
“

In my family, we had the opportunity to get a scholarship so our eldest son could study. He went to Bogotá, the capital, for a University degree. He was there five semesters – all of which the association helped us finance.  ”

Evelio Aguirre Tapasco
“

Fair Trade is the only label that brings us a doctor! There are health brigades for the farmers that support us, there are scholarships – all year long there are programs for coffee families; this is very important to the farmer. The farmers know Fair Trade is not only interested in them, but in their entire families. Everyone here is a Fair Trade member; they feel Fair Trade in their hearts.  ”

José Fernando Aguirre

Programs

Coffee Specialty Tours and Training

The cooperative sponsors coffee quality tours where coffee specialists advise members on how to improve the quality of their product. They also give trainings on how to safely and efficiently manage pesticides, as well as on the correct use of protective equipment and gear.

Women's Coffee Cultivation Programs

The cooperative implemented a leadership training program for female members. In 2006, a woman's group made community germinators that benefited more than 150 coffee growers. They have also repaired and calibrated more than 300 de-pulping machines.