Nicaragua washed Arabica SHG EP Fairtrade (FLO), Organic

Nicaragua is the fourth largest coffee producer in Central America. Coffee from this thinly populated country is of high quality and complex flavor. In the past, coffee production suffered from political and financial instability. Luckily, the situation has visibly recovered in the past 20 years. Producers are now keen to develop their agricultural practices within an improving infrastructure to revive their reputation in the specialty coffee scene.

In the rural northwest of Nicaragua, the mountains of Matagalpa and Jinotega are located where cloud forests mix with coffee plantations. Within this setting, the Cooperativa de Servicios Múltiples Sacaclí was set up, back in 1994. Twenty-five men and six women formed the cooperative to finance themselves independently and sell their coffee for a fair price.

Nowadays, the cooperative Sacaclí counts for some 540 members, of which 93 are women. The members do not only rely on coffee but also cultivate vegetables such as tomatoes, pepper, and onions, as well as soybeans. Sacaclí offers its members assistance in production, technical matters, and financial services. To seek external support, they also work with more than 12 agricultural organizations and have strategic partners to market their coffees to Europe, Canada, and the US. In the last few years, the cooperative has shifted its attention towards sustainable approaches and the adoption of modern agricultural methods. This has led to the attainment of Organic and Fairtrade certifications, ensuring a stable income for every member involved.