The Central Piurana de Cafetaleros (CEPICAFE) was founded in March 1995 and has grown to support 80 base organizations and a total of 6,363 producers in the Piuran mountains, Amazon region, and the Cajamarca. Unfortunately, despite the hard work that has gone into coffee in this prime productive region, farmers continue to live under the most rudimentary conditions. Nevertheless, Anselmo Huaman Moreto from the Producer Board of Directors explains how our fair trade alliance has affected the cooperative: “A huge difference in our lives is that now our children can actually go to school, our coffee is being recognized in the market for the quality we produce, and our members can be proud again to be farmers".

Through the consolidation of producer organizations under the CEPICAFE umbrella, producers are now active and respected agents for sustainable development in their region. They have worked collectively to improve quality and overall production under certified organic practices, increasing their exports from 550 quintales in 1997 to 39,373 quintales into a range of specialty markets over the past 10 years. Farmers also enjoy access to financing and to development projects. This has facilitated the diversification of their production base to include a range of products from brown sugar, marmalades, and cocoa to crafts and coffee tourism.

The gains recognised from Fair Trade premiums have enabled the coop to begin construction on a green coffee processing plant with capacity to include a coffee roasting and packaging plant, as well as production and packaging facilities for their alternative products. The project is expected to be running in early 2008.