Background:

FTO Colombia

Fair Trade and organic-certified coffees from Colombia are relatively rare compared to the more common asociaciones (farmer associations). However, producers who obtain certification are deeply committed to both ecological sustainability and the well-being of their communities. Each year, we continue to source more FTO coffees from Colombia and are consistently impressed by their quality.

FUDAM

The Fundación Agraria y Ambiental Para el Desarrollo Sostenible (FUDAM) is a 300-member association of organic- and Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee growers. Founded in 2000 by just seven producers, FUDAM was built on a shared vision of sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, and rural development. The group is based in and around La Unión, Nariño, a region where farms are often located at lower elevations than the surrounding towns, nestled between high peaks and rugged terrain.

FUDAM members remain steadfast in their commitment to sustainability. When asked why they continue farming organically despite growing pressure to use chemical inputs, the association’s leadership simply stated, “This is just how we live—these are our values and our way of life.”

Farmers pick their coffee during the day and depulp it in the afternoon, fermenting the beans for 16–24 hours. The coffee is then washed two or three times before being dried in one of several ways: small casa elbas, mechanical dryers (which take 25–40 hours), or parabolic dryers, which can take up to 15 days.