Guatemala/Guaya'b Asociacion

Guaya'b Asociacion Civil is a group of coffee and honey producers in Jacaltenango, Huehuetenango, Guatemala. 

The association was established in 1998 with 54 producers and achieved their Fair Trade and Organic certifications in 1999. 

Their members are entirely from the Popti', Kanjobal and Mam ethnic groups, who practice ancestral practices that are respectful of the natural environment.

This cooperative is also Bird Friendly Certified, which is a certification developed in the late 1990s to conserve habitat and protect migratory songbirds by the Smithsonian Institute. Bird Friendly habitat ensures a mix of foliage cover, tree height, and biodiversity that creates quality habitat for birds and other wildlife. This certification provides farmers with a premium for their products, and because of stringent growing standards, the Bird Friendly program is also a critical asset in fighting climate change.

From Guaya'b:

Guaya'b is a term from the Mayan language Popti' which means "mutual aid". The ancestors did not use money to hire labor. Purchases were not made with coins, they based their trade and sustainability on mutual aid.
The analogies with current operations are based on solidarity and the joint effort to combine volumes and qualities of competitive products in increasingly demanding markets.

Our goals are to promote the economic, social, educational, technical and cultural development of the communities in the Association's coverage area in the department of Huehuetenango, especially coffee and honey and derivatives producers.

Featured bird on the farm: Pink-headed Warbler