CENFROCAFE

CENFROCAFE (Central Fronteriza del Norte de Cafetaleros) is one of the farmer organizations who supply Cooperative Coffees' green beans. It was founded in 1999. 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. 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 to live under the most rudimentary conditions.

The cooperative 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."  All villages now have their own schools.

Coffee 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. 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.  Training for women has given them a bigger role in the community as well as increased opportunities.

For 2008, Cenfrocafe's main priority is to maintain their sales on the special market and to increase their sales of organic coffee.

Visit CENFROCAFE's website for more great info and pictures