Through the signing of a memorandum of understanding, the National Federation of Coffee Growers FNC and the Development Bank of Latin America CAF, signed an alliance that will last four years in the first instance, with the possibility of renewing itself if both parties suggest it.
This agreement is expected to promote a development agenda for the rural and sustainable coffee industry, including 130,000 Colombian women, with a clear impact on Latin America and the Caribbean.
As established, the agreement must establish a general framework for collaboration, so that these experiences and results can be implemented in favor of other productive chains in the country or in other regions of the agricultural sector in Latin America or the Caribbean.
The coffee growers indicated that the purpose of the agreement is: “to focus on a model that is regionally replicable and contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with special emphasis on the social and economic inclusion of rural communities, including the more than 130,000 Colombian coffee women.”
The executive president of the Development Bank of Latin America CAF, expressed the importance of the partnership with the National Federation of Coffee Growers FNC, and the possible positive economic and environmental impacts that the agreement will have.
“The partnership with the FNC will allow us to join forces to promote the prosperity of Colombian coffee growers and to extend environmentally friendly practices to other sectors of agriculture in the country and the region. It also reflects CAF's commitment to lead interventions that improve the competitiveness of agro-industrial chains and promote rural development with an emphasis on social inclusion and gender equality,” said Díaz Granados.
For his part, the general manager of the National Federation of Coffee Growers, Roberto Vélez, commented that this partnership will bring significant growth in the coffee industry in the country and the region: “In addition to contributing to the sustainability and prosperity of coffee growers, CAF wanted to take advantage of the strengths and successful experiences of the sector to help other agricultural producers in Colombia and the region also become more prosperous and sustainable, which is in line with our mission and makes us proud as a guild.”
Among the objectives that both parties will seek to strengthen will be:
-Emphasis on strengthening capacities and abilities of small coffee producers in the Caribbean and Latin America.
- Analysis of successful experiences of the Colombian coffee sector, including strategies, policies and instruments of science, technology and innovation and marketing.
- Sustainable, clean and inclusive production systems, as well as other measures to provide institutional support to the sector.
- Workspaces within the framework of the United Nations sustainability work areas.
- Cooperation within the framework of the World Forum of Coffee Producers.
- Collaboration in other areas of mutual interest that may arise during the term of the agreement.
Coffee has established itself as the star product that represents Colombians abroad, the impact of its price and production on the national economy is quite important. Recently, the National Federation of Coffee Growers released the production figures for the first month of 2022, which presented negative figures.
According to the report made by the entity, in January 2022, coffee production in Colombia fell by 20% due to adverse weather conditions in the areas where this product is grown.
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