Visiting the COFEMO Group
We arrived in San Cristobal, Chiapas, on Sunday and made our way to Los Altos to meet the COFEMO coffee group; a community of 58 indigenous Tseltal women. We found out whilst on route to the farm that we were the first all-female group to accompany Ensambles to a Mexican origin, and the first visitors to meet the group of female producers. It was an overwhelming and inspiring experience that we feel very lucky to have been a part of, and hope that we can pay homage to their stories through sharing their coffee.
In 2023, Verónica and fellow inspiring women founded the Sat Kajpel Antsetik Cooperative (translating to ‘coffee with a women’s face’). They have been supported by the COFEMO organisation who have worked with the producers in the Tseltal community for eight years now. COFEMO help to provide greater access to education for girls, empowering Indigenous communities in Chiapas, and are dedicated to closing gender gaps in the most marginalised areas of Mexico.
When we arrived, we met with Jose and Edith, who help run the COFMEO organisation. They explained a bit about the work they are doing to improve conditions for women, and that in Chiapas only 27.7% of women hold title deeds to their land because historically, women did not have property rights. Their aim is to increase visibility, and intertwine farming innovation with traditional Indigenous growing practices. With the help of COFEMO, these producers have been able to boost their income with other products, such as their handmade textiles and honey.
COFEMO have worked with Ensambles now for three years, receiving frequent support and visits from agronomist Pablo, who introduced us to the group. Pablo has helped improve farming techniques to increase their coffee score and overall yield, assisting them in receiving higher prices for their beans. The team have also adopted intercropping techniques to avoid soil erosion, as well as planting other crops, such as bananas and pineapples, to provide shade to the young trees as well as improve soil health.
After we toured the farm, we sat down with the women and they opened up about some of the many challenges they face as female producers. They told us how they have to wake up at 3am and prepare the meals for the day before carrying the children and any food up the mountain. Once their working day is done, they proceed down the mountain with children and coffee on their backs. When we asked what their partners do, they simply replied ‘carry the machete.’ They joked that sometimes they feel like ants, but noted that ants don't have to carry things both ways.
When sitting in their home, you can't help but feel the vast disparity between the producers and consumers. We were lucky enough to travel around the world to meet them, and yet they rarely leave their village. They work tirelessly day in, day out, juggling responsibilities whilst producing outstanding coffee, yet still have restricted access to education, land and support than that of their male counterparts. Seeing the difficulties first hand was incredibly moving, an unforgettable insight into their lives and the inequality within the industry.
We often have the view that women who are involved in coffee production have chosen this path for themselves, that they have decided to follow that career. Although this may be the case for a proportion of women it is not always that clean cut. From meeting these women and having worked with other female producers from different countries and regions, we have learnt that to a large extent women farm coffee out of necessity, rather than choice.
Without the input of female coffee growers, the industry could miss out on valuable innovations and expertise that are needed to ensure high-quality coffee production. Their dedication, hard work, and experience in coffee cultivation contribute to the industry’s growth and success. A woman's contribution to the coffee supply chain is in no way inferior to male contributions.
All images taken by Jenna Foxton, who accompanied us on the trip.
