A new name for La FEM
posted February 12 2013
La FEM coffee has a new name - Las Diosas - La FEM. La FEM has transferred governance of its coffee activities to Las Diosas. La FEM continues with their advocacy for women's education, health and reproductive rights, works to end domestic violence and actively recruits more women producers in the coffee coops now governed by Las Diosas.
The women we met at Las Diosas are fiercely proud of their independence and their ability to provide for their families as a result of being farmers of fair trade and organic coffee.
However, they've had a tough year and shared their deep sadness with us - many women have lost up to 40 to 60% of this year's coffee harvest due to the coffee rust or roya that has spread across the coffee growing regions of Central and South America. The women of Las Diosis not know how this will affect next year's harvest and are extremely worried, as they believe next year's harvest will even have higher losses.
The coffee plants affected by coffee rust have to be cut down and new trees planted. And, it takes three to five years to for coffee plants to produce coffee cherries for harvest.
The Nicaraguan government is coming up with strategies for the coffee rust and the women are worried those strategies are not environmentally friendly which would negatively affect their farms and their families. Las Diosas believes strongly that you cannot be empowered without respecting the environment.
We'll keep you updated on how these remarkable women fare in the wake of the coffee rust. They're still figuring out exactly how devastating the impact is and despite these unbelievable challenges remain hopeful for the future. The women are truly an inspiration.
You can read more about Las Diosas - LaFEM on http://www.beannorth.com/our-beans/producing-partners-and-locations/central-america/nicaragua/
