Colombia/ARGCAFEE Coca Substitution Program

Our newest addition highlighting Female Coffee Producers. 

Female Producers of Colombia

Tastes Like: Caramel, Praline, Orange Blossom

Origins: Argelia, Cauca, Colombia

Process: Washed

This lot was developed with the women producers of ARGCAFEE. 78 women contribute to this program, with another 44 communicating intentions to join. The Women Producer program is designed to identify and incentivize the many women within the coffee industry. Along with this, this coffee is also part of the Coca Substitution Program.

The Coca Substitution program is a partnership between Café Imports, Banexport, and ARGCAFEE created to promote the cultivation of legal crops such as coffee in place of illicit crops like coca. The partnership operates a nursery in Argelia, Cauca, that cultivates high-yielding and coffee leaf rust-resistant varieties while providing agronomical training and assistance to members of ARGCAFEE. The substitution program also provides support by offering a guarantee of purchase by Café Imports and Banexport at higher-than-average prices. With these premiums, farmers are encouraged to shift towards the cultivation of legal crops that offer a sustainable source of income and to decrease the community’s dependence on the narco-state in Colombia.

The program aims to address the underlying factors contributing to the cultivation of illicit crops, such as poverty, lack of education, and access to markets. By providing farmers with the necessary tools and knowledge, the program offers an alternative means of livelihood, thereby reducing the reliance on illicit crops.

Through the cultivation of specialty coffee, farmers can access formal markets and earn a higher income, improving their living standards. Additionally, the program promotes environmental sustainability by encouraging the use of sustainable agricultural practices and reducing the negative impacts associated with the cultivation of illicit crops.