FAIR TRADE COFFEE IN CHAYEN

Not all projects necessarily turn out the way we might like. UbF recognizes that its role is to listen to the community express its needs, offer encouragement, information and assistance and then allow the community to then determine what it does with that. This was the case with the village of Chayen, located in Western Guatemala. The community subsists primarily on the proceeds of their small coffee farms. In 2004, however, due to recent changes in the market, the price they receive for their coffee had fallen dramatically, making it too costly to even harvest their coffee. They requested assistance to find new markets and save their farms.

In July of 2004, representatives of United by Friendship and Global Exchange met with the farmers of Chayen, at which time they were provided information on the requirements for incorporating as a co-op under the guidelines of Fair Trade coffee. Once they qualified for Fair Trade status, they would be guaranteed a price above market price. To qualify they must, among other things, have a transparent administrative process that is inclusive of women, grow an organic product, and pay their workers an above-average wage. They must also set aside some co-op profits for a community project.

The information was initially met with enthusiasm but after some months of trying unsuccessfully to incorporate as an official co-op, the project did not go forward. Thankfully, the price of coffee rebounded so they did not lose their farms. They are now aware of the fragility of the world coffee market and if they decide to form a co-op in the future, they have the tools necessary to do so.