The cooperative Tierra Nueva was established in 1997, with 23 members to market better prices for their organic coffee. At that time, farmers had to accept high variations in the market price as middlemen were the only buyers rotating through the villages. A lot has changed in the last 20 years and a new collaboration with ACODEA, an agri-agency that helps to achieve Agriterra’s goals in Latin America, promises new improvements.

Tierra Nueva nowadays consists of over 600 members, who not only produce organic coffee, but also honey, curcuma and ginger. Together, they process the crops and export them without intermediates to a growing demand of international buyers.

Throughout the collaboration with ACODEA, the agri-agency advised the cooperative to use the already existing fertiliser plant. With ACODEA’s advice the Tierra Nueva managed to increase the production from 2,000 to 20,000 quintals. Also the farmers could see the immediate improvement of their plants: “I planted this plant 18 months ago. I added ten pounds of organic fertiliser, from which I got a very good result, because the plant has a better quality now”, states a farmer of Tierra Nueva.

The management of the cooperative is also very satisfied with the collaboration: “This experience for us has been very satisfying, because it permits us as an organisation to strengthen our capacities and management. With the help of ACODEA and its advisors we managed to create a new strategic plan with a business vision, with focus on gender, youth and environment for the period 2016-2020.”