Nicaragua Cafetos de Segovia

Cocoa, lemongrass, and grapefruit

PRODECOOP is a second-level cooperative organization that groups 38 grassroots cooperatives made up of 2,300 small producers, 27% of whom are women.

These producers and their respective cooperatives are located in the departments of Esteli, Madriz, and Nueva Segovia, in northern Nicaragua. On average, they export 30,000 coffee bags, of which 50% of the total volume is organic and Fair Trade certified.

Over its existence, PRODECOOP has developed a long line of programs that aim to support its members in a multitude of different ways. They are able to fund these programs using their Fair Trade premium. The initiatives include supporting educational opportunities for children, providing loans to women in and affiliated with the organization, providing cervical-cancer screenings and other health-care services, offering member education regarding pest control and fertilization, and creating and supporting systems to increase food security for the communities.

PRODECOOP is a cooperative organization comprising 38 smaller member cooperatives and more than 2,300 farmer members. About 30 percent of the membership is female. The cooperative is certified Fairtrade and 100 percent of its members participate. The average annual export for the co-op is 30,000 bags, about half of which is certified organic.