CBGC 4.06 Recap and Glossary

Recap

• Since the 1980s, Colombian coffee production has shifted away from the large farms of the Eje Cafetero towards smallholders in areas more suited to producing differentiated coffees.
• Today, more than half of Colombian coffee is classified as specialty coffee or sold under a certification scheme.
• Women perform a growing share of the work of production and are increasingly likely to own farms and belong to cooperatives.
• Some women have opted to establish female-only associations, but critics say these organisations often benefit importers and roasters more than producers.
• After the leaf rust epidemic hit Colombia in 2008, replanting with resistant varieties led to a dramatic increase in production. Since 2021, a prolonged La Niña has resulted in reduced yields.