Reserva Tacueyo is produced by 516 smallholder families organized through the ASPROCRIT association. As part of CENCOIC a cooperative safeguarding indigenous communities in the department of Colombia. The cooperative emerged from the wider Indigenous movement represented by the CRIC, which brings together the traditional authorities and communities of Cauca in the defence of land, culture and self-governance. Through this structure, coffee connects individual families in Tacueyo with a cooperative network and a broader political and social movement. It provides an economic alternative in a region affected by conflict, while strengthening community organization and territorial autonomy. As the producers express it: “The coffee cultivated on small Indigenous plots continues to sow the seeds of a future shaped by peace, development and stronger families and communities.”
CENCOIC’s history is closely connected to the Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca, or CRIC. Founded in Toribío in 1971, the CRIC brought together Indigenous authorities to defend land, culture, territorial autonomy and community rights. The organisation’s second congress was held in Tacueyó later that same year. One of its longstanding objectives has been to strengthen Indigenous economic and community-based enterprises—a principle that helped shape CENCOIC.
Goverance
Rather than functioning as a conventional centralised organisation, CENCOIC is connected to a broader system of Indigenous governance. The cabildos and traditional authorities of each community remain central to decision-making. At the highest level, authority rests with the communities and their assemblies, while representation and leadership are organised collectively among the participating territories. This means that responsibility is not permanently concentrated in one community, but moves between the different Indigenous organisations that make up the cooperative.
Instrument of Peace
In this context, coffee is more than an agricultural product. It is an instrument for strengthening local economies, creating opportunities for younger generations and supporting community autonomy. In a region deeply affected by armed conflict, the development of stable, community-led coffee businesses also represents a path towards peace: connecting remote territories with international markets while allowing producers to remain rooted in their communities.
Toribio
The municipality of Toribio is located north-west of Cauca and borders to the other famous coffee growing departments of Tolima and Huila. The Nevado de Huila is Colombia’s highest active volcano and acts like a natural state border. Peaking at 5,364 masl the volcano remains snow covered. The surrounding national park and high altitudes slowly slope down into the valleys offering perfect coffee-growing conditions. A combination of steep elevations, mountain forests and protected ecosystemes creates a highly diverse environment. At Trabocca, we regularly find the best scoring coffees from CENCOIC’s network within Toribo, where we also commonly source the Reserva San Francisco from. Other notable coffees are their Cafe Feminio women project lots!
Tacueyo
The collection point for ASPROCRIT association is located at the small central plaza of Tacueyo. Surrounding farms extend from 1,600 to 2,300 meters above sea level. On their plots, typically smaller than 1 ha/farmer, coffee grows beneath a canopy of native shade trees such as nogal cafetero, guamo, cachimbo, and chachafruto. Farmers grow other crops like sugar cane, plantain, and yuca. Common wildlife includes armadillos, deer, and many species of birds. “Coffee has been a fundamental pillar of the economy of the families living in these territories for many years. It helps us strengthen food sovereignty and preserve our cultural practices for future generations.”, said the association leader.
The Harvest
The main harvest generally takes place between April and August. Families carry out most of the work themselves, sometimes with extra hands from seasonal workers or neighbours. Ripe coffee cherries are selectively harvested and taken to the Finca, where they are pulped on the same day. The coffee typically undergoes between 14 and 18 hours of fermentation. At higher elevations, cooler temperatures require a longer fermentation process. Producers use either double-walled fermentation tanks or ceramic-lined tanks. After fermentation, the coffee is rinsed three times, sieved and transferred to parabolic dryers located in the courtyards of the family homes. Once the coffee reaches the appropriate moisture content, it is packed into sacks and stored in small on-farm warehouses before being delivered to the association’s collection centre.
Coffee as a instrument of peace
The people of Colombia, and in particular Cauca, have survived a history of narcotics and violence. This unrest has destabilized the region and left deep scars within communities. The peace accords in Colombia have shifted this balance, however. With the arrival of peace, coffee started to prove to be an alternative for the Nasa. A majority of Nasa have turned their backs on illicit economic opportunities and chose coffee. Coffee has delivered hope and economic growth.
“Coffee is directly empowering their communities by mitigating environmental and social risks caused by farming practices whilst implementing practices that lead to continuous improvement based on the guiding principles of UNITY, LAND, CULTURE and AUTONOMY, thereby enhancing the communities’ sovereignty. For this reason, the coffee grown on small indigenous plots continues to sow the seeds of a future, peace and development, strengthening families and the community.”
Trabocca and CENCOIC
We met the people of Cencoic during World of Coffee 2018 in Amsterdam. Because Amsterdam is our home to our Headquarters, we could spontaneously organize a cupping with them in our lab. We were sold on the spot. Ever since, we have been buying their coffees from Toribio, Caldono, and their Cafe Feminino Women Project coffee.
