CELCCAR (Central Local Agricultural Cooperatives "Caranavi") is an organization that was founded in 1965 in Caranavi, a small village in the tropical region of Los Yungas, Bolivia. In 2005 CELCCAR had 318 farm families grouped in 9 local co-operatives spread over the region of Caranavi.
Caranavi Yungas are a sub-tropical humid region, characterized by the abundance of high mountains which are covered by lush tropical vegetation with a rich soil and a climate that gives the coffee its special features. Besides coffee, other products are grown as timber rees, fruit trees and medicinal plants, building and the diversity of animal and plant environment.
CELCCAR's mission is to provide training and technical assistance for production and processing of coffee, citrus, bananas, stevia and other crops. As a cooperative, self-managing in finance and implementing projects in a professional manner without losing the essence of solidarity.
CELCCAR has always provided services to its member cooperatives, both economically and socially. According to the story, they initially worked to support and strengthen the base cooperative, then worked to provide food and groceries in Caranavi supply store, and transport services in agricultural production since the market's Caranavi Peace, giving high-tonnage trucks to about 30 cooperatives, with this action one of the most important achievements. Later it was the first organization to enter production and export of organic products to the U.S. and Europe, especially coffee. Today since 1996, working on the production, processing and exporting and local commercialization products produced by our families is mainly coffee and citrus.
The activities currently being made to partners are:
- Advocacy
- Support: to improve each component of the production process to achieve a high standard of quality.
- Technical training and knowledge transfer: allows members to improving coffee quality and increase productivity.
The quality of the coffee produced is shown, having become a semifinalist in the competition "Cup of Excellence" for two consecutive years.
They carry out activities that improve the living conditions of farming families, plus the extra income security also allow the improvement of production structures. It is also important work being done to diversify crops and not just rely on coffee. In this sense, we have also developed fruit growing and beekeeping.
Since 2001, income in FLO, have been making efforts in the social development of grassroots organizations, not only with the Fair Trade social premium but also their own resources. They have worked in some cooperatives with the provision of health services (potable water, latrines, etc.). Work is also constant in training both in administration and financial accounting and leadership.
The social premium funds in 2005, was for the implementation of a plant prebenefit organic coffee cooperative PROGRESS, with a processing capacity of 60 tons of dry parchment coffee per year, which is currently running. This plant has the advantage of not using too much water from the environment for processing, reduce the consumption of approximately 10 liters per kg of processed coffee to 1 liter, as it has a hydraulic water recycling honeys. It is planned to install two similar plants from which all production to be organic part is also ecological in prebenefit thus fulfilling these requirements of the Fair Trade.
Plants currently being implemented centralized ecological coffee prebenefit ensure substantial improvement in the quality of our product and what is important to preserve the environment, that with some of the social premium funds and financial cooperation in a project Belgium.
Finally, since last year, with a small pilot plant coffee roasting process in which the production of coffee in their organizations as another source of additional income. Coffee packaging for final consumption is for the local market Caranavi and the City of La Paz, having expected to reach the other departments. This activity not only allows them to be producers of raw materials, but in value-added processors.
"Our installment buyings mission is to show our work to a fair model of development is possible for small producers in Bolivia, starting with the fact that we have been able to develop a quality product, reliable quality control and a strong organization. We achieved significant results in improving the quality of life for our members and the development of cooperative basis. "
Products: green coffee, ground coffee 250 gr., Coffee beans 250 gr., Coffee beans 1 kg