The people who have contributed to this lot have been producing coffee within their own families since the 60’s. It is common for land to be passed to the next generation, as their land is not only their business but where avocado, corn, banana, beans, cassava are harvested and animals are raised. Land is handled traditionally which often promotes soil health and biodiversity, essential for a coffee farm’s health and future. While producers are doing what they can to maintain their practices most are under pressure of a changing climate.
San Fernando cooperative started in 1996 and 2022 is our first year working with them. Within the larger Cusco region, San Fernando unites members in the remote La Convencion valley. They grow Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra at 1600-2000 masl with a goal of leading as a sustainable and competitive community in the national and international markets, becoming a benchmark for both quality and community. They work to channel the cooperative efforts of producer families to promote agroecological practices through a governance model that centers transparency, democratic values, equality, and active member participation. With 450 member families and 98 woman led farms, they strive to unite, support, and encourage producer families through mutual development based on the community they create in the cooperative.
