Women-Produced Coffee
Why Women-Produced Coffee?
To raise awareness of gender inequality and inequality in coffee-producing countries while financially empowering women growers.
Did you know?
20-30% of coffee farms are female-operated and up to 70% of labor in coffee is provided by women.
Women systemically have lower access to resources -- land, credit, and information then men.
Which results in a BIG gender gap in economic outcomes, farm yields and farm income.
Did you know?
20-30% of coffee farms are female-operated and up to 70% of labor in coffee is provided by women.
Women systemically have lower access to resources -- land, credit, and information then men.
Which results in a BIG gender gap in economic outcomes, farm yields and farm income.
Our Current Women-Produced Coffee
Lake Kivu (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Kivu is an area in DRC nearly destroyed by the Congo civil war and the Rwanda Genocide. The resulting economic collapse led many coffee farmers to smuggle their coffee to nearby Rwanda to get food and other necessary supplies due to low coffee prices in the Congo. In 2002 SOPACDI or the Solidarite Paysanne la Promotion de Actions Café et Development Integras was formed, recognizing that the bridge from strife to success could be coffee.
The first international coffee buyer came in 2008. Now made up of 5200 members in total, who received support through innovative programs established by SOPACDI and outside programs find buyers for their coffee internationally. Over 20% of the co-op members are women.
The first international coffee buyer came in 2008. Now made up of 5200 members in total, who received support through innovative programs established by SOPACDI and outside programs find buyers for their coffee internationally. Over 20% of the co-op members are women.
This coffee, Lake Kivu, comprises 3,546 women smallholder farmer members who live in the Kalehe territory of DRC in South Kivu, with an average farm size of 1.7 acres who deliver the coffee in cherry form to the mill.
Garmindo (Sumatra)
Garmindo is women-produced coffee, named for the co-operative (Gayo Arabica Mahkota Indonesia Cooperative) that the women farm owners belong to in Sumatra.
This is a more recent cooperative, started in 2019, with the women's group being a sub group. These are all small farms of less then 4 acres.
This is a more recent cooperative, started in 2019, with the women's group being a sub group. These are all small farms of less then 4 acres.
El Tambo (Colombia)
This is a women-produced coffee, and is certified Fair Trade, by the ASMUCAFE coop. ASMUCAFE stands for Asociación de Mujeres Agropecuarias de Uribe, an organization of women farmers and landowners in El Tambo, a municipality within Cauca.
The women's mission as an association is to improve their families' quality of life through coffee farming and to contribute positively to their community by working together and sharing resources, knowledge, and support. "Our work is determined by our values such as responsibility, honesty, commitment, respect, solidarity, and competitiveness," they say.
The women's mission as an association is to improve their families' quality of life through coffee farming and to contribute positively to their community by working together and sharing resources, knowledge, and support. "Our work is determined by our values such as responsibility, honesty, commitment, respect, solidarity, and competitiveness," they say.