Our Fairtrade involvement: cooperatives

At Faro, we value transparency and traceability, which is why we wanted to tell you more about the different cooperatives we collaborate with in all our Fairtrade coffee purchases.

Most farmers don't know where their beans end up or what price they'll fetch. For green coffee to be a profitable export, the beans need to be processed and ready for export and roasting. But this is only feasible if farmers can organize themselves into cooperatives, purchase the necessary processing equipment, and manage the export process themselves or hire a contractor to do it for them.

Fairtrade-certified farmers' organizations are guaranteed to receive the Fairtrade minimum price for their coffee. This allows them to cover production costs and provides a safety net when the market price falls below a sustainable level. In addition, these farmers' organizations receive the Fairtrade Premium, which they can use to invest in community improvements and businesses.

We are fortunate to be actively involved in improving the quality of life of rural communities in several cooperatives - GRAPOS, Sol&Café, Fedecocagua, Jumarp and Astroguate - and have given you a profile of our two largest suppliers.

JUMARP COOPERATIVE

JUMARP is located in the Amazonian Andes of northern Peru. Coffee was introduced to the region in the 1950s, but production practices relied heavily on agrochemicals. JUMARP was formed in 2003 by 35 smallholder farmers to ensure sustainable livelihoods through coffee production and marketing in harmony with the rainforest. The cooperative was founded on a forest restoration and reforestation project.

El Palto now has 300 members, 21% of whom are women. JUMARP's main objective is to cultivate coffee sustainably, without harming the fragile rainforest ecosystem they inhabit; this is why they opt for organic coffee production. Their mission is threefold: to produce and market sustainable coffee directly to avoid intermediaries, to educate members and their families, and to promote environmental awareness and product quality. Social responsibility and improving the lives of the cooperative's members are at the heart of El Palto's work.

ASPROGUATE COOPERATIVE

The ASPROGUATE cooperative was founded in 2014 by a group of organized producers located in Coban, Acatenango, and Chimaltenango, Guatemala, with the goal of marketing high-quality, value-added coffees using entirely organic practices. Nearly 100 producers came together to create this association. Soon, other producers from neighboring regions heard about the project's success and joined the association's exponential growth. The cooperative now has a 55% female membership and focuses on educating its producers, building long-term relationships with its various stakeholders, and ensuring the sustainability of its agricultural practices.

ASPROGUATE's mission is to manage the social development of small-scale coffee producers in Guatemala by providing sustainable and differentiated access to international markets. Several practices are implemented within the cooperative to have a social, environmental, and ecological impact: member producers participate in monthly workshops where they learn to make their own organic fertilizers, fungicides, and insecticides. They also learn to care for their environment to avoid damaging the land: they are able to assess soil erosion, utilize living barriers, and diversify shade-use practices. Gender equality is a core value for the cooperative, as is the rejection of discrimination, slavery, and child and adolescent labor.

Faro has been a Fairtrade partner for over 20 years and has generated nearly US$150,000 in Fairtrade premiums over the last 5 years. It is through this social commitment that we wish to promote the values ​​of fairness that are so deeply rooted in our company.