Some of Colombia's coffee producers are to benefit from the use of brand-new technology after the announcement of a new partnership with a software company.
The Federacion de Cafeteros de Colombia has joined forces with global business SAP on a project that will see 5,000 coffee farmers provided with mobile tablet computers, SAP Business Trends reports.
This means they will be able to access information including coffee prices and the best time to sell produce at different markets anywhere and at any time, something that give them empower them and give them control to help improve their lives.
It may seem strange to think of small-scale farmers in developing countries operating in this way, but international markets and today's hyper-connected world mean technology is becoming increasingly important even for the tiniest enterprises.
Furthermore, a recent study by Oxford Economics found that 76 per cent of small Colombian companies are concerned that their firms are facing increased competition from rivals in other countries around the world.
It's no wonder they want to be able to keep up and are keen to have all the information they need for decision-making and how to better their own operations.
Partnerships like this could be key when it comes to creating a more modern and therefore more prosperous nation.
Colombia is second only to Brazil when it comes to Arabica coffee production and is also the world's largest producer of washed Arabica.
Its main growing region is in the west, but the crop is also produced in the north-east and south-west.
Here at DR Wakefield, we have been working with coffee producers in Colombia – including those in the Cauca region supported by Fairtrade – for many years in order to develop good relationships and bring our clients the best possible products.
We work with one of the country's largest locally owned private exporters too, so that we can offer conventional grades and premium quality coffees year-round.
