At a Glance

Location: Peru

Impact Area:

People Supported:

Joined NESsT Portfolio:
2024

Overview

Founded by 15 members with a shared vision for fairer coffee production, Cooperativa Agraria de Servicios Múltiples Cordillera Azul (“Cordillera Azul”) is a growing cooperative that supports over 350 small coffee farmers in the northeast of Peru. From its inception, the cooperative has striven to improve how local farmers grow and sell coffee, making it environmentally sustainable and a viable income source for rural farming families.  

The high altitude and rich soils of the remote Cordillera Azul National Park are well suited for crops like coffee and cacao; however, the regions’ remoteness makes it hard to reach, and farmers often lack basic support and infrastructure. Many of the families supported by Cordillera Azul run small farms and struggle to get the technical help they need to improve the quality of their crops and access better markets. Cordillera Azul bridges this gap, offering tools, training, and one-on-one support. As a result, it has supported over 170 producers to obtain organic certification and increase their income threefold. 

Cordillera Azul’s support goes beyond farming assistance, and it is engaged in various initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being of its members and their families and protecting the biodiverse forest where it operates.  

The cooperative partners with local schools and institutions to run projects such as Café Mujer and Café Kids, supporting women and young people to build skills and knowledge in sustainable farming and fostering viable livelihood opportunities in the region for the next generations. 
 
It also runs reforestation projects in collaboration with local partners and conserves local biodiversity by protecting habitats for endangered species like the Capito Wallacei bird. Additionally, by supporting its farmers to carefully map and label farming areas for cacao and coffee crops, it safeguards surrounding forests and reduces harmful practices in protected areas.  

*While the cooperative has played a key role in improving production, higher member earnings are also due to recent increases in coffee prices. 

NESsT Investment

Cordillera Azul provides consistent technical assistance to coffee producers in a region that has been difficult for other organizations to access. As a result, they have been able to build a loyal network of small-scale farmers committed to building sustainable coffee farms. This, in turn, has allowed them to secure producers higher coffee prices. 

Over time, Cordillera Azul has expanded to include cacao and will soon begin to support its producers to grow oranges, all while staying true to this mission. NESsT’s investment as a revolving credit line will allow Cordillera Azul to continue sourcing from local producers and providing key technical support to expand their crops and diversify income streams, ensuring their farms are resilient to climate shocks and fluctuating market prices. 

The Lirio Fund team will also work closely with Cordillera Azul as it supports the reforestation of 200 hectares over the next five years and opens a community pharmacy in collaboration with local health centers, ensuring rural families access to basic medicines.