Rising Together | The Women Caficultora Network is Accelerating Change
By Aliisa Oake
In the heart of Guatemala’s Antigua coffee growing region, a group of determined women are cultivating more than just coffee, they’re collectively cultivating a change in the coffee industry. The Women Caficultora Network is not only a group of coffee producers, but a group of women that showcase powerful movements towards economic empowerment, gender equality, and a redefined future for women in coffee. As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, their story highlights the power of women in coffee as they work towards accelerating change in their industry by overcoming barriers and making a change in a traditionally male-dominated field.
Roles and Restraints of Women in Coffee
Regardless of the area, women in agriculture face significant barriers, from limited land ownership, financial resources, education, and opportunities for training. On top of this, they carry most of the responsibilities of maintaining a household and taking care of their families. Women in agriculture continue to work diligently in the production of their crops, along with fulfilling their roles within their family - all while facing constraints in their trade.
In many coffee producing areas of the world, women are mainly responsible for collecting ripe coffee and sorting coffee beans. In these countries, between 20 and 30 percent of coffee farms are female-operated, and up to 70% of labor in coffee production is provided by women. Although there are many women present in the coffee industry itself, and they are responsible for much of the labor that impacts quality and yield outcomes, in some of the later stages of production their presence and roles in the coffee cultivation process diminishes. Men often take control in the final stages of coffee production, including the processing, transportation, exportation, and marketing stages. These job distributions play a part in the income levels women receive, where women are paid much less. Women also don’t have access to education or training and additional information in new areas of the coffee industry, making it even more challenging for them to obtain equal or higher wages.
Virgilia López
Additionally, with limited access to opportunities, women in coffee are forced to feel restricted from reaching their full potential, a halt in their steps towards accelerating change. Land, being essential for the initial stages of coffee production, is especially difficult to purchase if it is not passed on through generations. If a woman coffee producer had the desire to expand her property, loans and financial support would be difficult to acquire. Even if women can successfully work and control all the stages of coffee production, when it comes to the final stage of selling their green coffee, they face limited access to direct trade, creating yet another boundary of being able to sell their crops to desirable markets .
Men are traditionally seen as the decision makers in households, which makes it somewhat difficult for women to feel heard in their industry. With this, another constraint that women coffee producers face is having power in decision making processes. Sometimes men don’t trust that women have accurate knowledge of the coffee industry, are capable of their work, and don’t believe that what they are saying is true - making it difficult for men and women to work collectively at the same level of the coffee industry.
Building a Coffee Community for Women
Rosa Maria López harvesting coffee cherries
De La Gente was driven to create the Women Caficultora Network to enhance the role of women in coffee, encouraging them to have a voice in the industry, and thrive in a career related to coffee. This group was initiated in 2023, as a result of acknowledging the market dynamics that are present in the coffee industry, mainly involving the lack of voice for women in the industry. In previous years, we have worked with some of the women who are part of this group, during their participation in being part of the Coffee Growers of San Miguel Escobar cooperative or community tourism efforts. We decided to take a step further, accelerating change by creating an individual group, solely focused on women coffee producers and inviting more women to be a part of this opportunity, hence the creation of the Women Caficultora Network.
“What inspired us to create Women Caficultora Network was precisely that, we wanted to build or create a network of women producers who have access to markets without their identity as women being reduced to a marketing strategy. We want them to feel seen, heard, and above all of that, for their work and their families, and that of their families to be truly valued. Moreover, the coffee that they cultivate is not only exceptional, but behind every bean, there’s a story of passion, effort, and tradition that deserves to be recognized.”
~ Marcela Mendez, Coffee Commercialization Program Manager at De La Gente
Honoring and increasing the power of women in coffee is more than just providing them resources and encouraging them to increase their involvement in the coffee industry. Women need to feel the support and safety of a reliable group, which is where De La Gente stepped in. By creating the Women Caficultora Network, a foundation of support, recognition, and opportunity was created for the six women involved. They uplift and empower one another, sharing knowledge, skills, and experiences to navigate through the challenges of a male-dominated industry. By working together, these women are building a stronger, more inclusive industry within their coffee growing community of San Miguel Escobar, located just outside of Antigua. Their collective efforts are not only transforming their own livelihoods, but also setting a powerful example of what’s possible when women take charge of their futures.
Women in Coffee Are Accelerating Action
Women are incredibly important for the sustainability and growth of the coffee sector, but in many coffee-growing communities, their contributions are often undervalued. Many men fail to recognize their skills and labor intensive work, leading to limited support, fewer opportunities, and gaps in the industry. Additionally, deeply rooted gender roles mean that women’s labor is normally considered to be focused on household duties rather than contribution to other jobs, such as coffee production.
Within the Women Caficultora Network, members have felt more confident in their capabilities, especially by being exposed to some of the more technical areas of the coffee industry. They have participated in courses and certifications to advance their knowledge of important aspects of coffee cultivation processes, received training programs, and other technical support involved in the specialty coffee industry.
from left to right - Carmen, Marta, Virgilia, Estefana, Josefa, Rosa
Last year, in 2024, the Women Caficultora Network exported 3,000 pounds of green coffee, 500 pounds from each of the six members. All of the green coffee that was reserved was sold before it was even sent out from the port in Guatemala. With the increase in harvest levels and positive output rates and interest of consumers for coffee cultivation within the Women Caficultora Network, we have collectively decided to sell roasted coffee for consumer purchase for the first time - a huge accomplishment for these women.
One member of the cooperative, Virgilia Lopez, was a key part of this project since she was one of three members with experience in processing coffee, so she provided training to the other women and lent her machinery for them to process their coffee. Since then, De La Gente received funding from the SK2 Foundation to purchase de-pulping machinery to process their coffee, leading to more efficient production levels.
After the export of green coffee in 2024, De La Gente worked on funding the continuation of training for the group of women to improve their coffee quality standards. With this, in January of 2025, they attended a two-part training session consisting of a coffee sensory lab hosted by Dulce Barerra, a specialty coffee taster and coffee quality manager who holds international awards as a coffee cupping champion in the World Cup Tasters Championship. Dulce serves as a powerful example of a woman breaking barriers in Guatemala’s coffee industry, seeking to inspire other women in coffee to continue working towards their dreams and achieving their goals.
Women Caficultora Network members at sensory lab with Dulce Barrera
This course was insightful and beneficial for this group of women in furthering their knowledge of coffee production at a large scale, learning how to identify and address any issues in the coffee production process. They tasted different coffees during a cupping session, where they learned about potential defects based on the coffee’s aroma, taste, and appearance. The group of women also visited the coffee farm of Bella Vista, which follows regenerative practices, so they were excited and inspired to apply some of Bella Vista’s practices to their farms (e.g. diversify trees for shade, planting more fruit trees, etc.) These are all factors that are taken into account to ensure that the final product meets the anticipated high standards that customers pay a lot of attention to when negotiating coffee.
The Impact of Collective Collaboration
The perception of women in coffee is beginning to shift - women are accelerating change by gaining recognition for their skills, knowledge, and capabilities to thrive. Through different women-led cooperatives, such as the Women Caficultora Network, and advocacy efforts, consumers are becoming more aware of gender disparities in coffee production, increasing support for women-grown coffee. This growing awareness is causing an increase in demand for equal opportunities, fair wages, and greater leadership roles for women in the industry.
Team members of De La Gente meeting with Women Caficultora Network members
Some of the staff at De La Gente have seen a significant change in women coffee producers. One of the most significant changes has been with the overall idea of women as coffee producers, especially with the support they receive to continue their trade and expand. The members of the Women Caficultora Network have not only increased their production levels and coffee quality rates, but have also found a new voice, and aren’t afraid to use it.
“I’ve seen them more confident whenever we negotiate prices of coffee, because at the beginning they were kind of shy. I’m so happy to see how they are understanding that their voice also matters and that they have full control on the business. I see how they can become leaders for the second cohort and be the ones telling their stories to more women producers.”
~ Danilo Rodriguez, Executive Director of De La Gente
Guatemalan Women in Coffee are Embracing Change
The coffee world is constantly changing in unpredictable ways and at increasing rates. For the sustainability and longevity of the industry to thrive, we need a higher participation of coffee cultivators, especially women. This year, De La Gente is proud to celebrate International Women’s Day 2025 by supporting women in agriculture around the world, especially by honoring women in the coffee industry. The Women Caficultora Network is a powerful example of the strength, resilience, and determination of women in coffee breaking barriers and coming together.
These women are not only cultivating high-quality, specialty coffee, but also transforming their communities. By coming together, they are collectively accelerating change, demonstrating that when having access to resources and opportunities, they can thrive and progress together. As women coffee producers, they are not just participating in the industry, but reshaping it. This group is fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future for women in coffee.
Carmen Felipa Salazar harvesting ripe coffee cherries
Join De La Gente in celebrating International Women’s Day 2025 and working towards supporting and creating more opportunities for women in coffee. Purchase roasted coffee cultivated by the Women Caficultora Network from our online shop ONLY THIS MONTH and celebrate their strength and resilience, honoring the power of women. Beyond its exceptional flavor, this Antigua-grown coffee offers a beautifully balanced-cup that delights the senses while also supporting a better future for women in coffee.
