There are plenty of obstacles to cultivating and exporting coffee from the department of Huehuetenango. The terrain is rugged, and the weather is extreme. But coffee grows well here, and 634 families with farms that average just a few acres in size work together through a cooperative called Guaya’b Asociación Civil (GUAYA’B) to overcome the obstacles. The farms have been certified organic and Smithsonian Bird Friendly by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. GUAYA’B provides members with access to micro-financing to ensure year-round farm maintenance and periodic renovations. GUAYA’B also provides technical assistance, which includes soil analysis and training on organic fertilizer production. During the harvest, GUAYA’B has established a childcare service so parents have a safe place for their children to learn while they pick coffee. Each producer delivers cherry from their individual farms to a centralized wet-mill equipped with environmental controls to return water to the environment free of contamination. At the mill, the cherry is depulped and fermented for 36 to 48 hours, then washed and classified by density in channels of water and dried to 11 percent moisture on patios in the sun. The result is a traceable community lot with a vibrant regional profile ensuring greater producer earnings.
