Nicaragua Tierra Madre

Aldea Global’s Specialty Coffee program began in 2002 when Aldea Global won first place in the Cup of Excellence in Nicaragua. This award is an indicator of the quality currently produced by more than 4,900 small producers, who day by day live from the culture and tradition of coffee in the high mountains of Jinotega and Matagalpa.

In Jinotega, women only have 15% of the land titles – key to accessing micro-credit loans for production and other economic activities. Tierra Madre looks to improve on this buy providing an extra premium for coffee grown by women members of the cooperative. Loans are short or long term, and provide working capital for pruning, weeding, pest and disease management, or purchasing water pumps or depulping machines. Longer term loans are used to improve farm infrastructure or renovation of coffee farms through environmentally friendly programs and land purchases.

Not limiting themselves to just within Aldea Global, they are also part of Cafenica’s women’s movement, providing leadership development and working on gender equity, conceptualization and communication.