Peru - CEPICAFE and PANGOA
Fast Facts on CAC Pangoa
600 Members – based in San Martin de Pangoa, 450 km from Lima
220 Members are certified organic
105 Members currently in transition to organic
Altitude of plots – between 1,100 and 2,000 meters
Crop diversification includes cocoa and honey
FLO Certified since 2001
In 2007 they exported 11 containers of FT organic coffee and 2 in transition
For 2008 they expect to export 20 FT organic and 5 of transitional
Their Assembly general is in december
Located in the district of San Martin de Pangoa, the CAC Pangoa (Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera Pangoa) was founded by its original 50 members in 1977. Today, its 721 members, along with its team of directors, technicians and employees are working hard to compete in a complicated international market. The majority of the coop members still cultivate coffee on five to ten hectare plots.
The cooperative promotes strong leadership and gender equality.
The Women’s Development Committee (Comite de Desarrollo de la Mujer) works to benefit the female members, wives, and daughters, and ultimately all the coffee producing families. They are an integral part of the cooperative and strengthen it by forming new leaders and members with a new vision of development. One example of their work is to organize medical check-ups for all women over 30 years old for prevention and early detection of several diseases.
About five years ago, the cooperative initiated its organic program to teach members of best organic practices as well as helping community groups to understand all internal and external inspection norms. Pangoa has promoted the diversification of production, with cocoa production in lower elevations and honey production. They also use revenue from Fair Trade coffee sales to sponsor several initiatives: Credit and savings support, crop diversification programs, women’s organization promotion, insurance, infrastructure imporvements, and technical assistance.
The main source of income for most of the members of CAC Pangoa is coffee. But the cooperative aims at diversifying its income with the production of other crops and products. The cooperative is working hard to improve the quality of organic cocoa for use in the fine chocolate industry. Also, 6000 kg of honey was produced and most was sold locally. A project is being developed for the production of honey wine for broader distribution.
“With the Fair Trade price we hope to increase our organic production so that we can improve and conserve the soil and subsequently increase our productivity. With increased revenue from Fair Trade sales, we plan to improve all technical aspects of our production.”- Esperanza Dionisio Castillo CAC Pangoa, General manager
Their anniversary is on October 2nd
Their board of director is now constituted of: Avelino Rico, President; Juan Aquize veliz, Secretario; and Wilfredo Jonenzo, treasorer. For 2008, their main priorities are the financing, the internal transport, and monitor the certification, organic and fair trade.
Fast Facts on CEPICAFE
Founded in 1995
Serves as umbrella organization for 6 383 producers of which 3 680 are certified organic
Coffee growing altitude of 1,300 to 1,800 meters
Fast Facts on Cenfrocafe
1740 members, of which 700 are organic
In 2007, they exported 34 containers of FT and organic coffee
and 5.5 of transitionnal
For 2008, they plan to export 40 conainers of FT and organic coffee and 10 of transitionnal
Their Annual Assembly and their anniversary is in October
The Central Piurana de Cafetaleros (CEPICAFE) was founded in March 1995 with 200 members. Today CEPICAFE has grown into a second level non-profit organization which represents coffee and sugar cane producers of the Piuran mountains and the northeast of Peru. Currently, CEPICAFE consists of 71 base organizations and 8 zonal committees, with a total of 4,811 producers. In 2007 they have exported 65 containers of Fair Trade organic coffee and 5 transitional. For 2008 they plan to export 70 containers of FT organic coffee and 5 transitional. They average yield for the organic production is of 10 quintals an hectare. The annual assembly of CEPICAFE is in June and it anniversary is on the 26 of March. Their board is now constituted of Segundo Guerrero Mondragon, president; Pedro Castillo Castillo, secretary; and of Benita Facundo Quevedo, treasurer. For 2008, their main objective is to sell 100% of their coffee on special market, to strengthen their organization and to establish good commercial alliance.
CENFROCAFE (Central Fronteriza del Norte de Cafetaleros is one of those farmer organizations who supply Cooperative Coffees’ contracts. It was founded in 1999 with 220 small-scale coffee farmers in 11 community-based organizations. Today CENFROCAFE serves 1,480 farmers in 52 organizations. CENFROCAFE families own on average 3 hectares of land, of which half might be under coffee cultivation. They have an average yield for their organic production of about 15 quintal an hectare. The region spans the lush hillsides of Jaen and San Ignacio provinces with growing altitudes ranging from 1,300 to 1,800 meters. But despite the hard work that has gone into coffee in this prime productive region, farmers continue live under the most rudimentary conditions.
The cooperative alliance between CEPICAFE, OROVERDE and CENFROCAFE, has provided important services to thousands of small-scale farmers (members and non-members alike) in the coffee regions of Northern Peru, who without a strong organization would have otherwise been abandoned without access to even the most basic health, education and other social services.
CENFROCAFE founding member and current president of the producer Board of Directors, Anselmo Huaman Moreto explains: “A huge difference in our lives is that now our children can actually go to school, our coffee is being recognized in the market for the quality we produce, and our members can be proud again to be farmers.”
Through the consolidation of producer organizations under the CEPICAFE umbrella, producers are now active and respected agents for sustainable development in their region. They have worked collectively to improve quality and overall production under certified organic practices, and they have increased their exports from 550 quintales in 1997 to 39,373 quintales into a range of specialty markets over the past 10 years. Farmers also enjoy access to financing and to development projects. This has facilitated the diversification of their production base to include a range of products from brown sugar, marmalades and cocoa to crafts and coffee tourism.
A green coffee processing plant, with capacity to include a coffee roasting and packaging plant as well as production and packaging facilities for their alternative products is currently under construction, and expected to be running in early 2007. For 2008, Cenfrocafe’s main priority is to maintain their sells on the special market and to increase their sells of organic coffee.
