Home > Sustainable tourism > Voluntourism >

Coffee, birds, honey and food security in CESMACH

Sumary

Theme: Communication and Marketing for organic agriculture and community development at CESMACH Placement At the CESMACH offices at Jaltenango on the Chiapas State, Mexico. Requeriments: This is a great opportunity for people with e-marketing with interest on the organic agriculture´s community-based enterprises marketing as well to get a deeply understanding on small farming livelihoods. Fluency on Spanish language is an asset. Project language: Mainly Spanish and very limited English Highlights: Visiting the CESMACH members’ organic coffee farms and backyard gardens is an amazing experience in fair trade, organic farming and food security challenges in today’s globalized world, in a biologically and culturally diverse region, which presents many challenges for overcoming marginalization. Short description: Campesinos Ecológicos de la Sierra Madre de Chiapas (CESMACH) is an inspiring organic coffee cooperative. Established in 1994, it currently has more than 350 partners in 24 communities. During its first years, it has focused successfully on the transformation of its production methods; its organic production efforts have been widely recognized due to its success in adapting hundreds of hectares to incorporate organic production methods that are socially and environmentally responsible. Recently, CESMACH has focused on implementing a marketing strategy. Although it has made significant progress in positioning its high quality coffee on the international market, there is still much to be done to achieve the goals that have been proposed. Also, recently CESMACH launched its food security project to diversify production and improve the standard of living for the members’ families and for the community in general. It provides technical assistance and biological material to start vegetable gardens and backyard gardens. Volunteers can participate in activities such as growing coffee, vegetables or on family farms.

Date of start Spring March 28th through April the 9th 2010 Summer June 11th through 23th 2010 Volunteers needed 6 Duration Minumum 2 weeks Prices (In US dollars) 2 Weeks $ 1,200 Additional week $ 600 Book online    Other projects Biomonitoring at El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve Teach English and inistitutional development

 

Detailed information

Campesinos Ecológicos de la Sierra Madre de Chiapas (CESMACH) is a grassroots organization whose mission is to organize farmers from communites in the Sierra Madre mountains of Chiapas to join forces in pursuit of better living conditions for their families, while at the same time respecting nature. Since its foundation, CESMACH has closely collaborated with the management of El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve (REBITRI). REBITRI is home to one of the best preserved cloud forests in the American continent. Its main objectives are to ensure the ongoing conservation of the cloud forest habitats and offer sustainable development opportunities to the surrounding communities.

With the farmers producing excellent quality organic coffee, CESMACH has managed to increase the value of agricultural production while reducing the impact that conventional farming and livestock have on the conservation of the area. Several scientific researchers have evaluated the impact of producing coffee in the shade and it has been discovered to be beneficial to bird populations. The quality of coffee is guaranteed by adhering to a strict protocol for organic production, which is verified firstly internally by a group of technicians and then later by an independent certification agency.

Their marketing efforts have included joint selling to local, national and international intermediaries, as well as creating their own brand, providing microcredit to members for production and forming together with three other small coffee growers, a distribution company aimed at niche markets.

However, CESMACH is more than a cooperative selling organic coffee produced by its members. They have also launched initiatives to improve their family’s standard of living, while seeking to diversify their agricultural production. Such initiatives include technical assistance for the production of fruit, honey, vegetables and small-scale livestock and the harvesting of palm fronds. It also offers medical care and the marketing of staple products. Over the next two years it is hoping to consolidate many of the projects that have been set in motion.

As membership, client portfolio and projects increase, so too do the challenges of maintaining effective communication. In order to consolidate the marketing and product diversification processes, CESMACH wants to increase its communication skills by using internet-based and traditional media.