Region: San Jose, Frailes
Variety: Geisha, Catuai
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1500m
Notes: Cherry, apple pie, toffee.

CAF is a regional mill located in Frailes, representing 60 smallholder families. The mill has been working closely with Bean Voyage since 2017 to design their training components. Alexis Calvo, the General Director of CAF, is a Q-grader and Q-processing certified professional who has closely collaborated with Bean Voyage to inform training content. Since the 2020-21 harvest, Nayarith Calderon has assumed the role of mill manager, overseeing all operations concerning coffee processing and export.

Bean Voyage, a feminist non-profit organization, works alongside coffee producers, particularly women, with the goal of eliminating the gender gap in farming communities. Bean Voyage supports 120 smallholder women farmers in Costa Rica. They have established women-only discussion groups to boost the confidence of these producers and provide a safe space for sharing experiences and mutual support. Communities like these have been created across numerous areas in Costa Rica.

Bean Voyage offers both in-person and digital training that incorporates advanced technology to monitor progress and test farmers on their knowledge. A significant portion of the curriculum is devoted to biodiversity preservation and general environmental conservation to combat climate change and foster production practices that harmonize with the endemic ecosystems. Each farmer undergoes a minimum of 80 hours of training, covering five modules: farm finance, production, processing, quality analysis, and gender/community.

Additionally, Bean Voyage strives to identify better markets for the micro lots produced, partnering with sustainable enterprises and ensuring fair prices. This approach led to the inception of their partnership. After joining Bean Voyage, smallholder farming families see an average 300% increase in farm income derived from farm-related activities. This increase is not only due to the improved quality of the coffees but also due to the establishment of better market chains for the products.

For further information about their program, please visit Bean Voyage’s website: https://www.beanvoyage.org.