Southeast Guatemala's department of Jutiapa is surrounded by the departments of Santa Rosa to the southwest, Jalapa to the west, and Chiquimula to the north. Its eastern boundary is shared by Honduras. Located in the middle of the area is Jutiapa, the departmental capital. Jutiapa's economy is primarily based on agriculture, with major contributions coming from crops including beans, corn, sugar cane, and coffee.
Jutiapa's culture is a fusion of Spanish influences and native Maya ancestry. Its customs surrounding food, crafts, and festivals all attest to this. The area is well-known for its vibrant woodwork, ceramics, and textiles.
Jutiapa and other parts of Guatemala have seen an increase in the focus placed on sustainable methods of producing coffee in recent decades. Several coffee growers have embraced ecologically conscious agricultural practices and certifications like Fair Trade and Organic, with the goal of preserving the environment and enhancing the standard of living in coffee-growing regions.
The culture of processing and producing specialty coffees in Jutiapa is too poor, which is why the great potential that Jutiapa has in the production of specialty coffees has not yet been discovered.
Farmers usually produce traditional varieties and some Timor varieties due to the climate change, coffee leaf rust and the lack of knowledge about specialty coffees. This area is rich in forest which is another source of economy for the local people not only but forest helps to keep the source of water alive during the dry season as well as the forest is the house for gray fox, several birds species, rabbits and other little rodents.
