Our Colombian partner, Fondo Paez, was founded in 1992 with the primary goal of recuperating traditional indigenous agricultural knowledge. By 2000, they were selling coffee through the Coffee Federation's Specialty Coffee program. In 2003, they produced seven containers of coffee, both conventional and organic certified. They are governed democratically and are extraordinarily well organized.

Fondo Paez is committed to the self sufficiency of its people and maintains a holistic approach to farming, which is quite evident on the farms. Membership is family-based and requires involvement with the organization and incorporation of the Fondo Paez principles of food security and sustainable agriculture into member's farms and lives.

Coffee is only one of the many crops that are incorporated into a diverse agro-forestry system. Other products, including sisal fiber and traditional crops like beans, corn, and fruits are produced as well. Food crops for farmers' own consumption, feed crops for the farm animals, and nitrogen fixing plants for the soil are given equal importance to their cash crops.

Fondo Paez was recently incorporated as an association in Colombia with its own legal identity. The farmers currently process, market, and export coffee through the Coffee Federation, though they are completely autonomous in their internal decision-making processes.

Farmers are paid cash for their pergamino (green, unprocessed coffee beans) by the coop. At the end of the year, Fondo Paez distributes 80% of the profit (from higher prices for specialty, organic, and/or Fair Trade coffee) as a dividend to the farmers and retains 20% for social projects. Fondo Paez also administers micro-credit to the farmers pre-harvest.

Though they frequently find themselves in the midst of armed conflict due to political struggles, the community maintains their commitment to members, land, and culture.

Source: www.coopcoffees.com

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