PRODUCER : COOCAFE, Costa Rica
STRENGTH GUIDE : MEDIUM (3)
STUART'S TASTING NOTES
"[Pending]."
FOR TRADE TERMS & PURCHASE OF 6+ KILOS, CLICK HERE.
ABOUT THE COFFEE AND THE FARMERS
The coffees grown here have for years been considered some of the best in the world. Comparatively high production costs though have made it increasingly hard for Costa Rica to compete on ‘mainstream’ grades of coffee.
COOCAFE is the only certified Fairtrade Coffee Cooperative in all of Costa Rica. They represent more than 3,500 small coffee producers, in 9 independent Cooperatives throughout the country.
Since 1988, COOCAFE has greatly enhanced its efforts to access and directly compete in the international coffee market. For the past 15 years, COOCAFE has participated in the Fair Trade Market as well as in the conventional market, favouring COOCAFE’s members with higher, less volatile prices.
The stable price provided by the Fair Trade market has allowed the organisation to develop social and environmental initiatives, as well as projects to help their farmers diversify their sources of income. At the same time, the higher price has allowed their cooperatives to re-invest in their communities with projects like credit for housing, land reform, and the repair and construction of municipal infrastructure.
In addition to paying a premium price to producers, COOCAFE and its cooperatives have established two Foundations, Hijos del Campo and Foundation Café Forestal.
For some families, especially those with more than one child, costs associated with attending public schools, such as purchasing school supplies, notebooks and school uniforms, can be unaffordable. To assist with these costs, scholarships are offered to students who are dedicated to their studies but lack finances to do so. Fifty percent of the scholarship is a grant, the other fifty per cent is an interest free loan that is paid back by the student's family at the end of the year. This policy generates funds so future students can benefit as well.
University students from rural areas and those qualified in technical careers who want to upgrade their skills can also avail of scholarships. By training and offering educational opportunities to more people in rural areas, social and economic benefits are returned to the community.
The programme also helps to identify the needs of schools in rural areas and provides financial support for new infrastructure, teaching materials and equipment. Schools apply for funding for specific projects such as the purchase of teaching materials or the repair of old desks.
As well as this COOCAFÉ have used the premiums for a women’s project, healthcare and the establishment of an environmental fund; “Café Forestal” providing financial support for environmental projects
For more information on this and about COOCAFÉ please visit their website
COOCAFÉ have established an educational fund with the use of Fairtrade premiums and other finances.
