My history with coffee began in 2020, when I decided to leave my job as an auto mechanic in Potosí and follow my family's coffee legacy. Since then, I acquired a farm in the region of Uchumachi, Caranavi, and started growing coffee. Although the farm has no official name, this project represents my effort to establish myself as a producer in the region and take advantage of the exceptional conditions of the area to produce coffee. I learned about coffee production by observing my neighbors in the Caranavi region. From a young age, I worked planting rice and tomatoes with my grandmother, and when I moved to this area, I became aware of the opportunities that coffee cultivation offered. As I became more involved in the coffee world, I began to learn from local producers and eventually decided to focus on specialty coffees, as I realized that they offered a better price.
I feel prouder to have built my farm from scratch and to produce a coffee that represents the effort and dedication of my family. Seeing how my coffee is valued in international markets and how my production has evolved with sustainable practices motivates me to continue improving. In addition, the fact that my farm is part of the coffee growing tradition of the region and that my work inspires my children to continue with this legacy is something that fills me with satisfaction. My main challenge as a coffee producer is to maintain and improve the quality of my coffee while facing the challenges of climate change and market instability. Variations in climate affect production and drying, so I must constantly adapt my practices. In addition, accessing markets that value and pay a fair price for specialty coffees remains a challenge, although working with BELCO has allowed me to make progress in this regard.
My vision for the future is to grow my farm and turn it into the largest and most advanced coffee plantation, always maintaining a focus on quality and sustainability. As a producer, I want to continue improving my processes, innovating in varieties and beneficiaries to offer specialty coffees of excellence. My objective is to consolidate my farm as a reference in the region and ensure its growth so that my children can continue with this legacy. I want my work to serve as an inspiration for other producers and that together we raise the recognition of our community's coffee in international markets.