Asodesarrollo - Gigante

Asociacin de Cafeteros El Desarrollo

Calle 5, #6-66
Gigante, Huila
Colombia

Phone : (+57) 316-304-2600

jaacas06@hotmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/Asodesarrollo-185573975144497/

70
Years

1947 - 2017

www.coopscanada.coop 70
Years

www.cdfcanada.coop
@CDFCanada @CCAIntl
www.impact.coop 1947 - 2017
 Our Story
The ASODESARROLLO association operates in the green agricultural lands along the
mighty Magdalena River and has its headquarters in the municipality of Gigante, Huila.
The regions temperate climate allows members to earn a living by cultivating coffee and
cocoa.
The town of Gigante is located 800 meters above sea level, but the municipality extends up
the mountain to 1,200 meters, where the typical Colombia and Castillo varieties of coffee
dot the beautiful landscape. Continuing even higher, families of coffee growers produce
the Caturra variety, the regions finest specialty variety, characterized by its medium body,
pronounced acidity, and caramel, chocolate, red berry, and citrus flavors.
ASODESARROLLOs growth coincided with the global economic coffee crisis and
Colombias armed conflict, both of which deeply affected coffee-growing families in the
region. Initially, a total of 27 farmers from the municipality joined forces to create an
association that began seeking direct business alliances and fair prices to benefit small
producers in the area. Today, the organization boasts a total of 160 members.
Jaime Andrs Casallas, President of ASODESARROLLO, remembers: In the beginning it
wasnt easy for the Association, given our lack of knowledge and experience in the field of
marketing. Later, we put together an experienced and determined board of directors that
succeeded in establishing the Associations first commercial and productive alliances. The
number of members grew and we began investigating how best to market our products
and get better prices for producers. We realized there was a market for specialty coffees that
commanded better prices.
To ensure fairer marketing for its members, ASODESARROLLO focused on
differentiated and/or specialty coffees. This presented a huge challenge for the Association,
whose producers had a strong tradition of marketing wet-hulled or dried-parchment
coffees, a market monopolized by local tradesmen. Also, few companies were willing
to enter the market due to problems with public order in the region at the time. The
Association, therefore, began by establishing productive and commercial alliances in the
specialty coffee market and by engaging members and other producers, teaching them to
implement clean agriculture based on good agricultural practices, to improve productivity
and ensure fairer marketing.
ASODESARROLLOs legal representative, Luis Gutirrez Rodrguez, explains: Initially,
Cooperativa Central de Caficultores (Central Cooperative of Coffee Growers) was
responsible for general marketing and setting prices. After the Association was formed and
we signed an agreement with SKN Caribecafe Ltd., we were able to negotiate a fairer, more
reasonable price, which benefited associated producers and other farmers in the area.
Today, more than 750 small producers sell under a variety of brands such as Rainforest,
Starbucks C.A.F.E. Practices, and Nespresso AAA. These brands are not owned by the
Association, but are instead held by trade partners, and smaller groups of producers in
the Association market their specialty coffees in micro-lots. The vast majority of members
benefit from good access roads to their farms, utilities, healthcare, education, and excellent
marketing through partnerships with SKN and Caravela Coffee. The Association also offers
a processing plant and drying system, technical assistance, revolving credit, training, and
communal and recreational spaces, which together have improved the quality of life of small
producers.
Last year, we moved approximately 1,500,000 kilos with SKN and close to 120,000 kilos
with Caravela, all of it collected and paid to producers through ASODESARROLLO. These
are all successful experiences weve had with the Association, states Casallas.
The achievements of this small association of coffee growers have also been influential in the
decisions of many young people to remain in the countryside instead of migrating to the
city. Thanks to the efforts of ASODESARROLLO, coffee growing has become a lucrative
business for farmers in Gigante, Huila.