- In Santa Martha, Jinotega, a rural community in Nicaragua, where coffee plantations dominate the mountainous landscape, lives Bertilda Flores (35), a strong and determined woman who challenges gender stereotypes in the agricultural world.
Bertilda dives into her memories of starting coffee production in 2013, when she inherited a small piece of land from her father. With just 0.75 acres of abandoned land, she decided to bet on coffee cultivation, an industry that she knew well thanks to her years of experience working on coffee farms. Although she faced skepticism and challenges due to her status as a woman in a predominantly male environment, Bertilda was not deterred.
“I saw that coffee was profitable and that my plot was suitable for cultivation,” Bertilda recalls, highlighting her determination to turn her small plot into a prosperous and sustainable business. With effort and dedication, she managed to gradually increase her production, overcoming obstacles with ingenuity and hard work.
However, challenges were not infrequent. She often faced the distrustful gaze of those who considered that a woman was not capable of working the land. But Bertilda proved them wrong, combining her work on the farm with occasional jobs on neighboring farms to support her family. “I looked for a man to do the work that I couldn’t do and then I paid him with work on my plot, which they call hand-turning,” she says proudly.
Her turning point came when the MOCCA Project settled in her community, offering free technical assistance to improve coffee production. For Bertilda, it was an invaluable opportunity to acquire knowledge and techniques that allowed her to optimize her plot efficiently and economically. She participated in six training modules, absorbing everything she could about pruning, grafting, tissue management and gender, among other topics.
“The need to learn and improve my plot without having to spend on private technicians that I could not afford was what motivated me to be part of the MOCCA project training,” explains Bertilda.
MOCCA is a 7-year initiative funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Food for Progress Program, which seeks to improve agricultural productivity and expand trade in agricultural products. The MOCCA project is being executed by a consortium led by TechnoServe. Lutheran World Relief leads the cocoa activities.
The fruits of her effort and learning soon became evident. Thanks to the new practices learned from her, Bertilda managed to significantly increase her productivity and improve the quality of her coffee. “Before I produced between 15 and 20 quintals of parchment coffee, now I have managed to produce between 25 and 35 quintals,” she says with a satisfied smile.
But beyond the numbers, what has really made the difference for Bertilda is the independence and security she has achieved for herself and her family. “Coffee has gotten me ahead. Now I have more land and can support my two children,” she says proudly.
With her income increasing, Bertilda has invested in improvements on her farm, such as purchasing tools and materials for coffee processing. She is also saving to purchase a pulping machine, which will allow her to further increase her efficiency and profitability.
In addition to being a successful coffee farmer, Bertilda is also a leader in her community, generously sharing the knowledge she has acquired with other local farmers. “Whenever the MOCCA technician arrives, they are eager to meet him,” she proudly mentions, highlighting her commitment to continuous learning and collaboration.
Through her bravery, hard work and determination, Bertilda has shown that there are no limits to what a woman can achieve in the agricultural world. Her story is an inspiring testimony of resilience, perseverance and success against all odds.
