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One more good example is Anacafe: Anacafe, in Guatemala, did Special thanks to
provide emergency funds for their farmers to be able to afford fungicide
to handle the outbreak; which is very important, but it is only a tempo- • The Alliance for Coffee
rary fix to a larger problem. Moreover, relying on central coffee organi- Excellence (ACE) is a non-
zations (e.g. FNC) that have been able to combat rust in an effective way profit, global membership orga-
and help farmers to get more information on how to work in a changing nization that upholds the highest
environment can also be an asset for the whole coffee chain. These or- standards in specialty coffee
ganizations are composed of experts, and can provide resources that through our program Cup of
have been vetted in an appropriate manner. Excellence, ensuring coffee ex-
cellence to empower farmers.
Future • Café Imports is bring-
ing to the global market the
Nevertheless, not enough is being done. According to FairTrade, highest quality green coffees in
there 125 million people worldwide depend on coffee for their liveli- the world by sourcing, develop-
hoods, with such a big number these people expect their governments ing, and innovating at origin,
to support their craft and the industry they work in. For example, the while empowering farmers with
program that Thailand had put together, that embraced fermentation price, traceability, and long-term
practices as well as proper growing techniques. The Government imple- partnerships.
mented this program in the 80s and it provided technical stations • DRWakefield is sourc-
throughout Northern Thailand. FNC through its CENICAFE research ing coffee company that works
stations have provided varietal research and soil analysis for its farming with over 20 origins, for nearly
members in Colombia. These specific programs are very important and 50 years. DRW has endeavoured
have provided a range of services. Rewarding quality, improved farmer to work with a high degree of
training and finance support are the biggest factors towards creating ethics, accountability, compli-
success. It will take actors on all levels to support this proposition. ance and sustainable practices.
What is more, without a good price the farmer cannot learn and • The National Federa-
invest. Without a good coffee the buyer cannot reward good quality with tion of Coffee Growers of
a high price. It is a slow process, both working hand-in-hand, and we are Colombia, (Spanish: Federación
getting to a good place. Knowledge and relationships are building long Nacional de Cafeteros de Colom-
term sustainability. Treating each other with respect, such as in a fam- bia) often abbreviated FNC, is a
ily, will breed success. Coffee is here to stay and it crosses every bound- non-profit business association.
ary to bring us all together. The federation supports research
and development in the produc-
tion of coffee through grants to
local universities and through
federation sponsored research
institutes. The federation also
monitors production to ensure
export quality standards are met.

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