The municipality of Cubulco, Baja Verapaz, is located at the geographic center of the Republic of Guatemala, surrounded by mountains and lush vegetation and famous for its colorful traditions and folkloric dances.
“Have you heard of the “Palo Volador” dance? In this dance, men hang by their feet from ropes attached to a 30-meter-high structure…” Venancia Primero and her husband Victor Taperia said. The couple are coffee producers from Cubulco and participants in the training programs facilitated by the MOCCA & VOLCAFE Partnership, which seeks to strengthen the technical skills of more than 2,000 producers and connect them directly with markets that reward quality with better prices.
“We have been producing and selling coffee for more than 5 years, and thanks to MOCCA’s trainings we have had better results, but we need financing to invest in the farm so that we can continue growing and increasing our income” affirms Venancia, the 48-year-old wife.
Venancia and her husband learned about the partnership with Fundación Génesis Empresarial through a MOCCA coach, who told them that it provides access to timely financing and better credit conditions for coffee and cocoa producers in Guatemala. Fundación Génesis Empresarial has made available US$10 million to support producers in acquiring working capital, inputs, equipment and tools, and making medium-term investments in their farms.
In early 2021, Venancia and Victor were granted a loan to invest in their farm, after receiving financial advice and drawing up an investment plan with the help of MOCCA coaches and the loan officers of Fundación Génesis Empresarial.
“We remember the day they gave us the money, we were very nervous, but at the same time excited because we knew it was a big responsibility but also an opportunity to move ahead” the couple commented.
The Cubulco growers earmarked their first investments for the purchase of fertilizers and fungicides.
“Of course, we also bought a fumigation pump and other tools that we needed to be prepared to combat coffee pests and diseases,” says Victor with a smile.
The couple has among their short-term plans to establish new coffee plantations, increase the volume of their harvest, earn more income and project a better future for their children.
MOCCA & Fundación Génesis Empresarial continue to provide agricultural financing to support coffee producers in Guatemala to make controlled investments that will allow them to increase the profitability of their farms.
About Fundación Génesis Empresarial
Fundación Génesis Empresarial provides access to agile and timely financing, complementing capacity building and access to genetic material for coffee and cocoa producers in the MOCCA program. FGE has made available US$10 million to benefit 11 thousand producers with working capital, purchase of inputs, work equipment, with medium-term investments for the farms.
About VOLCAFE
Together with VOLCAFE the capacities of two thousand coffee growers in western Guatemala are strengthened to improve their productivity, quality, access to planting material and financing under better conditions. The company directly connects coffee growers with markets willing to pay more for quality through an online platform called Trackvia.
