Fondo Paez – Cafe Naftewesh is located in the remote highland regions of Cauca. The Paez (who also call themselves Nasa, or “the people”) are the largest indigenous group in Colombia. Fondo Paez was founded in 1992, with the primary goal of recuperating traditional agricultural knowledge and indigenous culture, which had been buried by centuries of conflict and oppression. 

The main cash crop of this region is still coffee. Therefore, to ensure a stable income for their members, Fondo Paez proposed a cooperative of community based coffee farmer associations. By 2000, they were sufficiently self-organized to be selling coffee through the Coffee Federation’s Specialty Coffee program. Today, they are active members of the Fair Trade community who process, market, and export their coffee via the regional plant at ExpoCosurca, while maintaining full independence in their democratic, internal decision-making process. 

Quality control is an art unto itself at Fondo Paez. Prior to their harvest, running from early June through late August in the majority of their growing regions, Fondo Paez promoters visit each member to review production results and encourage best picking, handling, and wet processing practices. Their efforts to date have certainly paid off. 

Fondo Paez coffee is characterized by aromatic flavors of raisin, apricot and fresh berries, honeysuckle and vanilla, bright acidity and silky full body; and their coffee continues to win recognition and awards as a 90+ coffee in both local and international cupping competitions. 

However, that’s not to say the path for Fondo Paez farmers has always been easy. Climate change increasingly wreaks havoc on their harvests, with unseasonable rains, heat waves, and- as in so much of Latin America- severe leaf rust, also known as the dreaded ‘roya’. After suffering the scourge, Fondo Paez members have slowly climbed their way back to full production levels. Still, many families turned to other crops and products such as corn, potatoes, beans, a variety of root vegetables, cows’ milk and cheese, and the manufacturing of panela; a bi-product of sugar cane, to supplement coffee sales and hedge against risk. 

We began importing from Fondo Paez in 2004. Since then, we have purchased over 2 million pounds of their fine coffee and have followed their development closely, both with site visits, and through regular communication. We are proud to have been able to offer roaster and staff support when they needed it, during trying production periods, or when field renovations were required.

We are inspired to see the extent to which Fondo Paez has created a sustainable vision for their indigenous communities. From Spanish conquest centuries ago to the armed conflict raging in their territory for the past 40 years, the Paez people continue to struggle for their lives and livelihoods, their land, and their rights to self-determination.