ANACAFE (The Guatemalan National Coffee Association):

Establishing a Sustainable Coffee Sector

By: Christine Keilhauer Wilson

All types of Guatemalan growers gathered for the ICO´s World Coffee Conference (WCC)
hosted by ANACAFE, the Guatemalan Coffee Growers Association. There were cooperative
members from the Mayan Ixil region of Chajul, established growers from estates in Antigua,
and small producers from Esquipulas in the East, Huehuetenango in the North and every
region in between.

Held every five years, the WCC is an important event for those in the coffee industry. And
this year it marked a significant milestone: ANACAFE´s 50th anniversary.

Founded in 1960, ANACAFE was established to bring together the coffee sector to improve
the competitiveness of Guatemalan coffee though: technical research and support, market
data and analysis, laboratory testing, quality control, promotion, and educational training.

Today, ANACAFE represents 90,000 producers and provides a seat on its board to a variety
of associations for two-year terms. There are always new challenges to tackle. But during
the decade from 1989 to 1999, the issues seemed downright monumental. The quota
system for coffee came to an end, Guatemala was still in the midst of an armed insurgency,
hurricane Mitch struck and worldwide overproduction led to a downward spiral in prices.
Yet it was amidst this uncertainty that ANACAFE´s leadership found opportunity.

From commodity to specialty

Opportunity came from a burgeoning coffee

industry, which was on the lookout for
exceptional coffees. This market was
searching for quality and Guatemala was
ready.

For years, Guatemala’s coffee growers

proudly highlighted the differences in their
coffees. The floral notes in the San Marcos Guatemala’s distinct coffee regions
cup, the distinct acidity of Acatenango, and
the delightful fruit of Coban´s coffee, were all evidence of unique regional factors. ANACAFE
decided to add science to this vast anecdotal evidence and conduct in-depth research and
analyses. This pioneering effort identified eight distinct regions, leading the way to position
Guatemala’s coffee as more than just a commodity.
 On the field, countless training sessions emphasized to move to quality.
To this day, more than sixty workshops on administration, fertilization,
disease, pest management, quality control, cupping, processing and
other subjects are offered each year.

Photo: Marta Martinez
Cupping for quality: Master
cupper Eduardo Ambrocio
assessing a sample
The fruits of this work are nowhere more evident than in the cup.
Quality and consistency have improved remarkably, as shown in the
Cup of Excellence where Guatemala’s coffees have time and again
scored the highest averages of any other country. Additionally,
ANACAFE´s master cuppers who yearly cup 7,000 samples from every
region continually notice a change for the better.

Promoting green practices

Aside from encouraging quality practices, ANACAFE has also spearheaded efforts to
address sustainability issues ranging from environmental protection to social
responsibility.

Research by ANACAFE on agricultural practices, shade

use and biodiversity has determined that the best way
to preserve the country’s resources is by encouraging
coffee cultivation within an agro-forestry system.
Already, 95% of Guatemala’s coffee is shade grown
creating a forest that extends 270,000 hectares,
captures 24 million tons of CO2, supplies 3 billion
cubic meters of water to the hydrologic cycle and Photo: Juan Carlos Menéndez
Finca Huixoc, La Democracia, Huehuetenango
provides shelter to more than 90 species of 95% of Guatemala’s coffee is shade grown
migratory birds.

Moreover, it appears that what is good for the environment is also good for coffee. A
healthy ecosystem contributes to improved soils and lowers the incidence of disease in
coffee plants. Armed with this important evidence, ANACAFE has continued through both
its research and education to encourage growers to establish good environmental practices
on their farms.

Coffee Cooperation

Like many developing nations, rural areas in Guatemala commonly lack the basics in health
and education. For this reason, many coffee farms serve not only as a vital source of work,
but also offer a rare opportunity to receive much needed medical and educational support.

ANACAFE through its foundation, FUNCAFE supports more than 130 farm schools and
educational programs that reach more than 850,000 students. Additionally, FUNCAFE by
partnering with the government and farm owners has helped to provide health services to
more than 2.7 million people throughout coffee-growing areas in the country.
 Increasingly, ANACAFE is addressing
pressing issues such as child labor. In
2001, FUNCAFE developed a project that
successfully identified and supported
alternative sources of income for over
8,000 families, providing them with the
opportunity to send their children to
school rather than work.

There is still much to be done but by

working together under the umbrella of
ANACAFE, coffee producers can find
Children at the FUNCAFE funded school project, Agrarian Active School (Escuela practical, sustainable solutions. As
Rural Activa –ERA-) in La Reforma, San Marcos
Ricardo Villanueva, current president of
ANACAFE, states, “I have no doubt that
Guatemala’s dedicated, growers united in a common cause can bring about far-reaching
change. It is this passion for quality coffee that has fueled us in the past and will lead us into
a sustainable future.”