LOS AMIGOS
DEL OSO PROJECT
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ANEI

Peru - Del Oso

The Los Amigos Del Oso Project was set up to help conserve forests near coffee-growing areas in the Santuario Nacional Tabaconas Namballe nature sanctuary in San Iganacio. The farms within the project are located in the buffer zones of a protected natural area, where spectacled bears and other highly endangered native animals are at risk due to illegal mining and deforestation. Working with an organic methodology and certifications are cornerstones of the project, as through these standards, a culture of protection of wildlife and species in danger of extinction is encourage. This balance with nature has involved the provision of native tree species for replanting and regenerating forest areas that require it. Coffee seedlings better suited to the forest environment are also provided so that they can be planted without removing native fauna.

The Project has also been building composting warehouses, reducing the need for fertiliser to be bought. This also reduces waste as the discarded cherry flesh from processing is broken down and recycled into natural fertiliser. These benefits allow for improvements in quality, but with the least possible impact on the environment.

Colombia - Sierra Nevada

ANEI are an organisation of native agroecological producers and farmers from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía del Perijá mountain ranges. Aurora Izquierdo, the first Arhuaca native woman from Yewrwa community to study in Bogotá, founded ANEI in 1995 with the aim of organising the economy of the natives and surrounding farms. She has since developed into a leader who uses coffee to promote the cultural presence of the communities that have produced it. The implementation of eco-sustainable programs and projects in recent years has helped reclaim social, economic, and cultural rights for the communities, as well as providing food security and helping the environment through high-quality organic processing methods.