FEDECARES

Fast Facts on FEDECARES
Founded in 1985
6500 members in 13 provinces: Baní, Azua, San Cristóbal, Polo, La Descubierta, San José de Ocoa, Barahona, Pedernales, Juan Santiago, Los Ríos, El Cercado, Neyba and Hondo Valle.
Mission: Bring economic and social stability to its member families in order to improve their quality of life
Arabica Coffee Produced: the Baní, cultivated in altitudes 700 to 1000 meters, and the Barahona, cultivated in altitudes 800 to 1200 meters.

FEDECARES was born out of the necessity to rebuild the coffee regions after the devastating Cyclone David hit the Dominican Republic in 1979. The producers understood that by joining forces, they would become stronger. They began by creating an individual community association. Then in 1983, 60 different  community associations came together to form the regional structure known as “Federacion de Caficultores de la Region Sur” (FEDECARES).  This non-for profit organization was legally recognized in August 1991. Since then, it has grown to include 134 associations in 13 different provinces. The main office of FEDECARES is located in the city of San Cristóbal.

The main purpose of FEDECARES is to contribute to a better quality of life for its members and their families through different strategies such as: investment in needed infrastructure, promoting ecological practices for the protection of the environment, and increasing cooperation between the different producing regions of the country.

FEDECARES provides assistance to its members during the harvest season, as well as supporting them in other areas such as marketing, training and technical support.  The federation's other services include: technological improvements, diversification of the coffee production, increased managing capacity, networking, fair trade and institutional development.  On average, their organic production yield is of 13.5 quintal per hectare. Their board of director is now constituted of Colombino Charla, president; Bacilisa Vicente, secretary; and Juan Branco, treasurer.

FEDECARES has been exporting coffee since 1982 and has established long term relationships between its members and coffee importers in Europe, Canada, the United States (both in conventional and fair trade markets).

In 1989 FEDECARES joined fair trade as one of the first suppliers to the Max Havelaar Foundation (FLO's original precursor). FEDECARES is also member of local and international organizations and networks, such as “Consejo Dominicano del Café” and the “Coordinadora Latinoamérica y del Caribe de Pequeños Productores de Comercio Justo”.

NUCASNE (Nucleus of Coffee Producers of the Neyba mountain range) is one group of FEDECARES from whom Coop Coffees began importing coffee in 2009:

The “nucleus” is made up of approximately 900 farmers and is located in the southern area of the Dominican Republic in the province of Bahoruco. They have been members of FEDECARES since 1989 and certified by FLO since 1992. Several of their farmers have become certified organic since the group began certification in 2001.

The group was founded in 1984 and has since undergone a number of development projects as well as quality control initiatives – namely, the project “PROCA2” run by the Dominican Counsel of Coffee. In the Dominican Republic, and even more so in this particular province, coffee is more than just an export commodity: it has deep social roots, contributing to the conservation of the environment, to the livelihoods of hundreds of families as well as to the employment of thousands of women and men. NUCASNE, through its projects and technical support, has achieved much in the way of improving both the quality of its exportable coffee as well as the quality of life of its member farmers and families. With an ever-growing demand for its coffee in the international market, NUCASNE hopes to develop even further.

NUCASNE grows coffee between 700 and 1400 meters with half the production being of the typical varietal and the other half caturra. Harvest occurs from November and February. They export an average of 5 to 6 containers of coffee per harvest. In general, Dominican coffees are characterized by an unmistakably fruitiness, strong citrus notes, a bright and balanced acidity, a round body, a delicate chocolate aroma and a smooth aftertaste that surpasses most coffee-lovers’ expectations.

View more photos of our farmer partner, FEDECARES.

Check out their website: http://www.fedecares.com.do/

Información sobre FEDECARES en espanol. 

Certifications:

Trace this coffee's documents at FairTradeProof.org