CECOCAFEN - Nicaragua
Fast Facts on CECOCAFEN
Founded: 1997
Region: Matagalpa, Jinotega and surrounding region
2078 family members of which 846 are organic
Coffee exportation for harvest year 2005-2006: 70 mil quintal
Coffee: SHB Arabica, Bourbon and Caturra, Certified Organic by OCIA
•In 2007, they exported 29 containers of FT and organic coffee
•In 2008, they project to export 43 containers of FT and Organic coffee
•Annual Assembly is at the end of October
•The anniversary of Cecocafen is on April 29 of 1997
Characteristics: Medium acidity, smooth light body, with a sweet mellow flavor and nutty notes.
CECOCAFEN, the Coffee Cooperatives Central in the Northern Regions, is an umbrella organization promoting and selling quality coffees from nine cooperatives. The basis of their operation rests upon: producing a quality coffee, establishing programs for ecological practices, and offering equitable opportunities for integrated development of their members’ communities. During visits to the region, we consistently witness these three elements at work.
CECOCAFEN started with 500 produceurs, exporting 7000 quintals of coffee. Today, more than 2000 families are members, exporting all together around 70,000 quintals of coffee. For the 2005-2006 harvest period , the national market price for a quintal of coffee was 110 dollars, whereas Cecocafen received an average price of 134 dollars a quintal. This organization has 28 clients to which they exported 166 containers of coffee For each hundred bags of coffee produced, 31 were certified fair trade, 31 were certified organic, 42 were exported to Europe and 58 to North America.
In the early stages of this umbrella organisation, obtaining credit for their members was found to be particularly challenging. However, for the 2005-2006 production period , they had access to more than 6 million dollars in credit, indicating to what extent they have grown. This credit access allows members of CECOCAFEN to cover the expenses of the harvest until they are paid by buyers. When local banks are unwilling to provide credit lines to small procuders, this provides an excellent alternative source of funds. The increased income gained from selling fair trade has also allowed community women’s groups to participate in a micro-savings and loan programs, facilitating a variety of production projects and simply putting more food on the table. There are 26 groups, representing 652 women, saving about 100 thousand dollars.
Their Fair Trade coffee sales have grown steadily, and so have the numbers of children able to participate in CECOCAFEN’s high school, technical training and university scholarship program. Some 428 child of partners have taken advantage from these program. These young students are studying careers related to the life in the cooperatives. In exchange they provide a 100 hours of work to the organization. They help provide a service of adult education in the cooperative. In one year, 32 young people helped 375 adults to learn how to read and write.
At Cooperative Coffees we are proud to partner with CECOCAFEN, and to be able to play a part in creating dignified solutions to the problems these farmers confront on a daily basis.
With fair trade premiums and development credits, CECOCAFEN was able to purchase the SolCafé processing plant, equipped with ample drying beds, a complete line of sorting machines and a fully equipped cupping laboratory. Internalizing these steps for processing and testing allows CECOCAFEN to improve quality control and to negotiate significantly better prices for the farmers.
It is an impressive sight – from tiny piles to great pyramids – to see their members’ coffee spread across the drying patios.
CECOCAFEN receives each producer’s coffee separately and tests for quality and humidity content. The cooperative is promoting each producer region for its specific characteristics and is in the process of establishing “brand recognition” for their corresponding coffees. The results of their collective efforts speak for themselves.
In the future, CECOCAFEN will try to be more competitive, since the growth in both the fair trade and the organic market has attracted bigger producers. They will try to increase the productive yield of their plantation to lower costs of production, maintain coffee quality, and improve the standard of living of their members. Also, they would like to increase their sale of coffee and reach better prices for it. They will also try to diversify their production
The actual president of their board of director is Pedro Antonui Huslam Mendoza and the secretary is Julio Cesuz Ariuz.
Nicaragua – La FEM
Founded in 1996
Region: Estelí
Members: 132 Growers divided into four cooperatives
Coffee: Smooth, mellow, light
Annual Assembly: end of October
La Fundación Entre Mujeres (La FEM)
Dedicated to more than just growing and exporting coffee, La FEM (Foundation between Women) is a dynamic female-led cooperative committed to selling quality Fair Trade coffee while simultaneously supporting and promoting womens rights. The cooperative is located east of Managua in the department of Estelí where much of the land is devoted to tobacco production and largely controlled by male producers. La FEM consists of four smaller cooperatives, each managed by it’s own Directiva (female director). Fiercely independent and determined to succeed in the coffee industry, the 132-member cooperative has made much progress since their founding in 1996, both in terms of coffee sales as well as the promotion of issues such as women`s education and health.
Under the direction of the Development Committee, La FEM is engaged in community development projects primarily focused on issues concerning women. Many of the women living in the department of Estelí are lacking in basic education and health care. In Condega, one of the six women and municipalities of Estelí, La FEM has established an ``alternative`` school where young women are encouraged to take up traditionally male-dominated trades such as carpentry, welding, construction, etc. Not only does this form of education teach them useful skills, it enables the women to gain independence from the men and create employment opportunities for themselves. In addition to their special projects, the Development Committee explores political topics and writings, often analyzing the legitimacy of Fair Trade and where it stands in a market dominated by neoliberal principles.
Coffee production is a traditional form of agriculture in Estelí but the use of chemical fertilizers for easing mass production has taken over older methods of production. La FEM, however, has maintained their efforts in organic methods. One collective of women in the Cope Mujeres owns a common piece of land, dividing the work and income equally. Since their inception, many of these collectives have received prices comparable to Fair Trade prices. Before becoming a producer partner with Cooperative Coffees, La FEM was already exporting coffee to a German group under fair trade terms. However, they were disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm on the buyers` part to co-partner with them in an initiative to go beyond selling coffee. Clearly, these women are invested in more than just the beans.
In May 2008, La FEM member and farmer Jitzy Centeno Ruiz flew up to Minneapolis from Jocote, Nicaragua to meet CoopCoffees roasters and participate in the SCAA. She underwent a five-week internship with Just Coffee, learning all about the roasting process and cafe industry in hopes of being able to start her own cafe in Estelí. To read more about Jitzy’s time in the US, check out Just Coffee’s website. Both the roasters at Just Coffee as well as the greater CoopCoffees body hope to maintain such a mutually beneficial relationship with La FEM in the future!
