Producer Profiles

AGUADAS - Cooperativa de Caficultores de Aguadas Pipinta

Cooperativa Caficultores de Aguadas Pipinta (AGUADAS) is a coffee cooperative from the Caldas region of Colombia that exports through EXPOCAFE. The municipality of Aguadas is made up of an estimated 64 villages of which 65 percent are dedicated to coffee production. In all, almost 3,000 families make their living growing and selling coffee in this area. Over half of these families are members of AGUADAS. Forty villages participate in a wide range of Fair Trade services and benefits, including life insurance, pension funds and crop diversification. Fair Trade has been essential in their consolidation, expansion and development efforts.
 

Quotable

“

I've upgraded the coffee mill and incorporated more environmentally safe techniques. My family has also benefitted from the diversity of services provided by the cooperative.  ”

Crisanto Salazar, Member from San Nicolas Village
“

I encourage people to purchase Fair Trade coffee because doing so means our children can be educated in better schools and have better health. We seek a better life for our members and Fair Trade has helped us do that.  ”

Blanca Doris Lopez, Cooperative Secretary
“

The Fair Trade movement has brought many benefits to the members of the cooperative. On my farm, I’ve been able to improve the milling of coffee with the right arbor, get access to better drying equipment and I’ve installed systems to treat sewage water. I’ve also been able to properly handle the solid waste (pulp) by processing and recycling garbage.  ”

Hernando Narvaez, Member from Viboral Village

Programs

Soil Examinations

The cooperative provides technical assitance for soil examinations to help members increase their quality and productivity.

College Scholarships

AGUADAS offers university scholarships to members' children and supports local schools.

A Spectrum of Services

The organization has been able to make a variety of investments in its productive capacity thanks to the Fair Trade premium. These investments include the construction of a dry mill, seeds and coffee trees purchases, pest control, organic certification fees, construction of a water treatment plant, self-sufficiency trainings, greenhouses for coffee drying, road repairs, community aqueducts and product transportation, amongst others.