Inza Smallholders
Producers in Colombia spent many years helplessly riding the roller coaster of international coffee prices. They had to invest, year after year, in their crops without knowing what price they would secure. As the saying goes in Colombia, there were years of lean cows and years of fat cows – the former being more common than the latter. They often sold their coffee to large exporters, never understanding its unique sensory qualities, nor in whose hands it ended up for what price. When they began selling their coffee directly to importers and roasters, everything changed.
Today, the exporter Pergamino, works with more than 600 smallholder farmers. They have developed the relationship with the communities over time, providing invaluable feedback on quality and training in quality assessment. They are committed to transparency in their partnerships with these farmers, ensuring that profit margins are clear and that value added by quality goes directly to the producer. The premiums that Pergamino pays range from 30-300% over market prices (depending on cupping score and volume). They also provide technical assistance so that farmers can continue to improve crop quality.

Fazenda Rodomunho
Good environmental practice is a priority for Rodomunho, and the area under coffee is interspersed with native forest reserves to maintain a good ecological balance and provide habitat for local birds and animals. Solid wastes from processing are recycled as organic fertilizer, while the use of either the natural or pulped natural process keeps water usage to a minimum. What water that is used is recycled and fully treated to avoid polluting local water courses. 

The farm also prioritises good conditions for its workforce, offering: fair wages (well above the average for the sector in Brazil); housing with modern services and utilities; a school; a health clinic; and sports facilities. The farm describes itself as a true ‘agrovillage’.