Colombia Nariño Organic grows in the Nariño region of Colombia, an area well known for its distinctive coffee. Dramatic valleys and peaks formed by the Andes create high-acidity and high sweetness in the cup. The landscape also collects warm, humid air which rises from the lowlands to the peaks at night. This moisture and temperature regulation allows coffee to mature slowly at altitudes up to 2100 meters above sea level. Additionally, coffee thrives from prolonged sunlight year-round along the equator.
Colombia Nariño Organic is grown by members of the Ecoterra SAS Cooperative. Their coffee is selectively picked, fermented for 12 to 72 hours in cherry, machine pulped, and undergoes a final fermentation of 24 to 120 hours. The coffee is then washed and finally sun dried on raised beds for 8 to 15 days. The result is a sweet coffee with juicy acidity, citrus and stone fruit flavors, and buttery body.
About the Cooperative
Ecoterra SAS is an organization of 117 producers in the northern region of Nariño. It draws members from the municipalities of La Unión, San Pedro de Cartago, Arboleda and San Lorenzo. Ecoterra’s objective is to diversify the way members produce and process coffee, focusing primarily on clean and efficient production. The organization has helped members develop composting and fertilizer systems. This allows producers to create an alternative source of income and generate their own inputs for the agronomic management of crops.
Ecoterra is also devoted to educating young coffee growers to strengthen their interest in remaining on their farms. By positioning younger generations as entrepreneurs, they can work together to improve living conditions. For example, producers are encouraged to alternate their coffee farms with products that guarantee food security such as vegetables, bananas, cassava, fruit trees and citrus fruits. These products sustain coffee-growing families and additionally generate alternative income. Improvements such as these not only benefit the producers, they also ensure future development and employment in the region.
