Gea Women Smallholders

“Gea” in Greek mythology (also known as “Gaia“) is the Mother-Goddess and Goddess of the Earth.
This coffee embodies the determined spirit of women, especially female coffee famers. Despite all the challenges they face, some do it because they were left behind by a partner who migrated in search of a better life, passed away, or simply because of a passion for coffee. Women across Honduras, and especially in rural areas, are determined to seize the opportunities presented to them.

Our sister-company BECAMO receives coffee from more than 300 women producers, some of whom are members of the Lenca and Ch’orti’ indigenous peoples. They belong to different cooperatives in different regions and are an important part of the coffee trade in Honduras.

Most women coffee producers wake before dawn to care for their loved ones before going to the fields. During harvest season, they also try and support other women in their communities with picking work. Cooperative members are used to being there for one another, whenever they’re going through adversity or trying a new processing method.
They have shown their ability to take a rough patch of land and turn it into a successful coffee farm, in part by planting timber and fruit alongside their coffee crops, to increase shade and soil moisture and to encourage microclimates that bring complexity and quality to the cup.