While biking across Southern Colombia, we could not miss out on visiting organic producers’ plots. Driven by our ethics and interest, we decided to reach out to SPP, Small Producers’ Symbol, a network of small producers from Latin America, Africa and Asia. Thanks to SPP we got to know Fondo Paez, a cooperative made up of Paez people or Nasa as they also refer to themselves, one of the largest indigenous communities in Colombia settled in Cauca’s mountainous regions.

We met them for the first time in Santander de Quilichao, where we arrived after a long day biking under a scorching sun. The organization’s headquarters and its collection center are located there. The next morning, we stored our bikes and luggage, and took off to visit the production areas. We made a stop to eat in a market and right after that we got on “la chiva”, a traditional mode of transport in the region which runs through several communities filled with people, food and even animals. This unusual almost three-hour ride to go deep into the Andes turned out to be an unforgettable experience!

We arrived in Chimiquieto welcomed by the Conda family, in a mud and bamboo house with new brand bathrooms built thanks to a community health development project. Here we tried dishes based on rice, root vegetables, beans and chicken, all prepared over a fire set up on the floor of one of the rooms. In another room, our daughters shared a bed with the girls of the family; it was like a party for them all.

The day following our arrival we attended a Fondo Paez member meeting. While the items on the agenda for that day were discussed, women wove some traditional Colombian bags made of sheep’s wool, while kids had fun outside.

Our first experience with coffee harvest started at 6 am the next day. We had a hearty plate of rice and eggs for breakfast, as well as a cup of freshly roasted and ground coffee – such a delight! While picking the grains, we realized what a difficult process producers have to endure to bring their harvest to a warehouse: plantations are located in the upper parts of the mountain where trails are not easy to go through and transfers take hours. By being part of SPP and having a guaranteed fair price, small producers are rewarded for these difficulties. Furthermore, they are also protected against the ups and downs in international market prices that have affected Colombian producers so much in recent years.

To guarantee better quality, each producer dries the coffee before putting it into bags made from fique, a traditional agave fiber produced in this community, which is similar to jute. Once the coffee is brought to a warehouse, they weigh it, and it then undergoes a quality control process to verify that it does not contain beans affected by pests.

The cupping team set aside a morning in their workshop for us. Here, they showed us the cupping and awareness techniques they share with producers, who are also involved in this important stage of the process. Tasters work daily to increase the quality of each cup of coffee; they strive to produce a product that, in addition to having an important history and tradition, is an excellent quality product.

In Fondo Paez, courses take place to review each production stage: from the organic fertilization of the soil, selection of beans at their right point of maturity, fermentation and drying stages and finally the roasting and grinding process.

After having spent a week in this community, we went down back to Santander where members held a meeting in which the founder of Fondo Paez participated. We were able to witness just how proud Nasas are to be part of their community, which conveys a sense of belonging: a very important aspect, especially for young people in this community.

This experience helped us realize what a difference it makes for producer families to be part of SPP and have a hand in an alliance that works in favor of the needs and values of small producers. We made friends and built great relationships to share with these people who are hard-working, kind and proud of their roots.

While biking across Southern Colombia, we could not miss out on visiting organic producers’ plots. Driven by our ethics and interest, we decided to reach out to SPP, Small Producers’ Symbol, a network of small producers from Latin America, Africa and Asia. Thanks to SPP we got to know Fondo Paez, a cooperative made up of Paez people or Nasa as they also refer to themselves, one of the largest indigenous communities in Colombia settled in Cauca’s mountainous regions.

We met them for the first time in Santander de Quilichao, where we arrived after a long day biking under a scorching sun. The organization’s headquarters and its collection center are located there. The next morning, we stored our bikes and luggage, and took off to visit the production areas. We made a stop to eat in a market and right after that we got on “la chiva”, a traditional mode of transport in the region which runs through several communities filled with people, food and even animals. This unusual almost three-hour ride to go deep into the Andes turned out to be an unforgettable experience!

We arrived in Chimiquieto welcomed by the Conda family, in a mud and bamboo house with new brand bathrooms built thanks to a community health development project. Here we tried dishes based on rice, root vegetables, beans and chicken, all prepared over a fire set up on the floor of one of the rooms. In another room, our daughters shared a bed with the girls of the family; it was like a party for them all.

The day following our arrival we attended a Fondo Paez member meeting. While the items on the agenda for that day were discussed, women wove some traditional Colombian bags made of sheep’s wool, while kids had fun outside.

Our first experience with coffee harvest started at 6 am the next day. We had a hearty plate of rice and eggs for breakfast, as well as a cup of freshly roasted and ground coffee – such a delight! While picking the grains, we realized what a difficult process producers have to endure to bring their harvest to a warehouse: plantations are located in the upper parts of the mountain where trails are not easy to go through and transfers take hours. By being part of SPP and having a guaranteed fair price, small producers are rewarded for these difficulties. Furthermore, they are also protected against the ups and downs in international market prices that have affected Colombian producers so much in recent years.

To guarantee better quality, each producer dries the coffee before putting it into bags made from fique, a traditional agave fiber produced in this community, which is similar to jute. Once the coffee is brought to a warehouse, they weigh it, and it then undergoes a quality control process to verify that it does not contain beans affected by pests.

The cupping team set aside a morning in their workshop for us. Here, they showed us the cupping and awareness techniques they share with producers, who are also involved in this important stage of the process. Tasters work daily to increase the quality of each cup of coffee; they strive to produce a product that, in addition to having an important history and tradition, is an excellent quality product.

In Fondo Paez, courses take place to review each production stage: from the organic fertilization of the soil, selection of beans at their right point of maturity, fermentation and drying stages and finally the roasting and grinding process.

After having spent a week in this community, we went down back to Santander where members held a meeting in which the founder of Fondo Paez participated. We were able to witness just how proud Nasas are to be part of their community, which conveys a sense of belonging: a very important aspect, especially for young people in this community.

This experience helped us realize what a difference it makes for producer families to be part of SPP and have a hand in an alliance that works in favor of the needs and values of small producers. We made friends and built great relationships to share with these people who are hard-working, kind and proud of their roots.