We were first introduced to growers in Nariño through Catholic Relief Services' Borderlands project. Through the project, producers banded together in associations to sell coffee to quality-focused buyers. In doing so, they created a new business model previously unseen in the region.
We first bought coffee from the La Esmeralda association, producers of K’uychi, in 2015. La Esmeralda is located in the town of Samaniego, an area with a history of heavy guerrilla activity which isolated farmers and discouraged their collaboration. Against tradition, the 25 producers in the association have worked together to improve their farms, the environment, and the quality of their coffee.
Every year, the association invests in their community. Since forming their organization, the producers of K’uychi have purchased plots of land at the source of a natural water spring, reforested the area, and prevented illegal mining benefiting residents downstream. The group has applied for and received several Counter Culture Seeds grants to expand their conservation efforts, which include tree nurseries and wastewater treatment systems.
Given their environmental bend, it's fitting that the farmers named their coffee K’uychi, or “rainbow,” in the Quechua language. We’re thrilled to be a part of this unique supply stream, one with positive impacts on the present and future of coffee farming in Nariño.
