Asociación de Producción Comunitaria de la Cuenca de Matanzas

The Project: Asociación de Producción Comunitaria de la Cuenca de Matanzas (APROCOM) is a Mayan coffee producer association located in eastern Guatemala. Since 2004, APROCOM has been participating in the Biosphere Coffee Program managed by ForesTrade Guatemala, the local subsidiary of ForesTrade Inc. By participating in this program, APROCOM has received technical assistance, training, and infrastructure improvements, resulting in successful exports of organic and fair trade-certified coffee.

The Deal: In February 2006, Verde Ventures provided a loan to APROCOM for working capital for the 2005-2006 coffee harvest.

The Benefit to Conservation: This project is located within the buffer zone of the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, one of the most valuable ecological areas in Guatemala and a key CI priority area within the Mesoamerica biodiversity hotspot. The high levels of biodiversity, the existence of endemic and threatened species, and the fact that it is the most significant cloud forest in Mesoamerica makes it a place of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. The 271 members of APROCOM produce coffee in a way that is directly consistent with CI’s conservation objectives, making the long-term financial viability of coffee production a key component of achieving conservation outcomes in this region.