MEXICOLAS GUERRERAS - WOMEN PRODUCERS

About coffee

Beyond the name of a coffee lies the story of 20 women who have been fighting their entire lives against discrimination in a culture that strongly marginalizes and minimizes women. It is unfortunately common knowledge that in this region human trafficking is real, and exchanging a daughter for an animal or for cash is a common occurrence in some communities. The lack of institutional support makes it difficult for this situation to end. Women in Guerrero are not able to own land, even though they are sometimes the ones doing all the work. There are actually many women producers in Guerrero because men emigrate to the north for work in the city. The Ensambles team does make a point at ensuring that women producers receive the money, not their husband, father, son or cousin.

The state of Guerrero is one of Mexico’s 16 coffee producing states, has borders with Oaxaca and Puebla. In Guerrero, 80% of the territory are mountains and the main economic activity is agriculture. Coffee was first introduced by the Spanish along the coast in Sierra de Atoyac, and most of the labor force for picking coffee was brought over from the poorest areas of Guerrero – a region called Montaña Alta. Those workers, seed by seed, propagated their homes with coffee, bringing it in their pockets from the big plantations in Atoyac. The region is now characterized by the production of shade grown natural coffees. Guerrero almost only produces naturals, which is rare in Mexico, with more than 90% of total exported coffee being washed.