Guatemala

Guatemala – Qawale QAWALE is a social and agricultural project under Vides58, involving small and medium coffee producers from La Libertad, Huehuetenango, Guatemala. The project, led by Carlos Gomez and Silvano Hidalgo, operates at altitudes ranging from 1,550 to 1,850 meters above sea level. QAWALE began with a core group of 1,000 coffee producers from Guatemala, and its membership continues to grow each year. The project provides these producers with technical and financial support, including price risk management and diversification programs. Agronomists from Vides58 offer ongoing assistance to the QAWALE producers. The project employs seven permanent agronomists who provide support to the coffee producers. One of the main challenges faced by these small and medium producers is their susceptibility to price fluctuations and the rising cost of inputs. To counter these challenges, the coffee producers are investing in machinery to improve production and are also diversifying their crops. The QAWALE program is central to the social and environmental initiatives of the participating coffee producers. The program supports sustainable practices and fosters community development. On average, each coffee producer manages around 3 hectares of land, producing a total of 3,000 kilograms of green coffee. The coffee varieties cultivated include Caturra, Sarchimor, Bourbon, and Catua. The picking season typically occurs between December and April, depending on the altitude of the farm. Year-round borer control is maintained using traps, and rust control begins after the third picking of the cherries. The farm follows the ANACAFE program for pruning, which runs from February to October. Fertilization is conducted three times between March and October, with a formula based on soil test results. The mix of fertilizers used is 60% chemical and 40% natural ingredients, with an average organic material content of 3%. Weed control is managed from March to November to ensure access to farm plots for other activities like picking and fertilizing. New coffee plants are typically introduced between April and June, timed with the onset of the rainy season. Coffee processing at QAWALE is a carefully managed operation. The coffee is manually picked based on maturity and Brix levels. After a 24-hour pre-fermentation period in the picking bags, the coffee is weighed, sorted, de-pulped, and fermented for 15 to 24 hours, depending on the climate. The drying process lasts 15 to 18 days