Women in the Nicaraguan coffee industry celebrated in auction
Yahosi Escalante Curso Procesos. Image: Alliance for Coffee Excellence
Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) in partnership with Nicaragua’s National Commission for the Transformation and Development of Coffee Farming (CONATRADEC) is introducing a Private Collection Auction that will feature an all-women line-up of producers. This auction, scheduled for 23 June, will showcase Nicaragua’s Super Women coffee growers who lead the country’s equality push and empower their families and communities.
“Working on this project has been a highlight of this year so far. We are committed to the equality of the genders in this industry and believe that this auction will impact the lives of the female producers in Nicaragua. We can’t wait to see the auction results of these amazing coffees,” said Kathia Lopez Rosa, ACE auction manager.
The participation of women in the economy and social programmes has been highly active thanks to the Nicaraguan Government’s promotion of gender and family-focused politics. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, Nicaragua ranks first in gender equality in all Latin America and 12th in the world; democratically establishing participation of Nicaraguan women and men, to create conditions that generate improvements in gender equity in areas such as education, health, employment, access and control to productive economic resources, eradication of violence and political participation.
Merling Presa Ramos, general manager of PRODECOOP expressed her enthusiasm to be part of the programme in Nicaragua, “We feel so proud to be part of the first auction in Nicaragua that will award the work of female producers in our country. We are grateful that CONATRADEC and ACE have given us this tool that will be empowering our producers.”
Agriculture is one of the fundamental pillars of the Nicaraguan economy, with coffee production as one of the main categories in the country’s exportations. Over 14,236 women are producers in this category, dedicating their efforts towards coffee production and plantation. Women have been vital contributors, bringing innovation and creativity to their communities, cooperatives, and entrepreneurial economies. Through women’s leadership, Nicaragua has seen changes in cultural and social patterns for equality, which has, in turn, helped to empower more women.