We speak about it often. We ask ourselves how we can help. And at the Cafes de Colombia Expo in Bogota in October 2019, we dove deep into the topic. How are women changing coffee in Colombia?
How do women participate in producing specialty coffee in Colombia? How are women changing specialty coffee in the many growing regions around the country?
Does the coffee industry need to change?
If you’re new to the world of coffee, you may be asking yourself if it’s truly necessary to bring about change. With coffee prices at a dismally low point, there’s no doubt that change has to come about.
Creating change – and sustainability – in the coffee chain is a challenge that all coffee producing countries are facing. And the answers to the problem are hard to come by.
According to Roberto Vélez, CEO of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), “quality coffee is the key to the future of Colombia.”
That’s the conclusion that many in the coffee industry have come to. For many producers, elevating the quality of their coffee – both in cupping scores as well as other factors that consumers seek – is a way to receive an income that hopefully provides for their families.
How can coffee producers innovate?
When considering international coffee consumption, Margarita Arango, Agri-food Coordinator of the Vice Presidency for Innovation and Sector Intelligence at ProColombia, stated, “We have seen that consumers are increasingly looking for authentic, high-quality coffee.”
Ethics and sustainability also play a crucial role in consumption. For instance, Arango states that in Germany 47% of consumers prefer brands with an ethical message. In the United Kingdom, 45% of people would be willing to pay more if a premium is paid to producing communities.
Can gender equality drive innovation and create value in coffee production?
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), it is estimated that productivity on farms run by women could increase by up to 30% if they had access to the same productive resources as men.
- But how do producers create those high-quality products with an ethical message?
- How are women coffee producers and others in the coffee chain in Colombia participating in this challenging market?
- How can those resources that are available to men also be accessible to women?
Women in coffee
An event sponsored by InConexus and USAID was held on October 18, 2019, to address those topics. For the past three years, InConexus has held these events to promote gender equality in the coffee chain and empower women. This year USAID participated with commercial alliances.
Who attends these events? Women as well as men who work to promote equality for everyone who works in the coffee industry.
How do women promote innovation and create value in the coffee chain? Women from Colombia, the United States and Spain were invited to participate in panels that discussed how women can create value.
Adriana Villanueva, CEO and co-owner of InConexus, opened the event with the key topics for women in coffee. How do women contribute to the coffee industry in Colombia? What examples in the industry prove that women can succeed on a personal level, build community, and propel the coffee industry to new levels?
What women have achieved
Coffee growers and others in the coffee industry then spoke about how individual and collective actions create social development.
2012 U.S. Barista Champion Katie Carguillo, food journalist Pamela Villagra, and Olga Cuellar spoke about innovation.
Alba Lucia Grimaldo, leader of the Women’s Association of MANAURE (Cesar) and owner of the farm La Milagrosa, spoke about the work the association is doing for their community.
They were the first to receive organic certification in that area. They presently have prolonged, honey and natural fermentation processes on the farm, they implemented community parabolic dryers, and have created more efficient and careful management of natural resources.
What have they achieved? Training has encouraged continuous improvement in the area, which was seen in their cup profile that increased from 80 to 85 points. They also improved the yield factor of their coffees from 94 to 90, which increases profits.
From Finca El Mirador in Buesaco, Nariño, Alba Diela López spoke about how they implemented drying beds, new processes, and improved productivity. With what results?
They ranked #6 in the 2018 Cup of Excellence. They improved their cup profile from 80 to 86 points, yield factor from 94 to 89, and increased the sale price of their coffee.
Karen Sánchez, an agronomist with ASOCAFÉ in Santa Rosa, Bolívar, spoke about the improvements they’ve achieved. She works with 140 families with small farms to improve production and quality.
Luz Elva Chacón is a legal representative and coffee grower in El Tambo – Cauca. She works with 220 families in 7 municipalities of Cauca. They have pioneered organic certifications in Cauca and have Fairtrade certification. They are processing their Rainforest Alliance certification.
Empowering women to make change in coffee – on their farm, at their roastery or coffee shop, and in their community – is more than just about attending a conference.
But what women learn, the real-life examples they see, and the direction and encouragement they receive sets in motion a series of changes that can slowly change an entire country.
