Awilix – Guatemala Lake Atitlán
Tastes like:
Tangelo + mango + tart cherry
Natural Process
Whole Bean Coffee
Altitude: 1500-1900m
Producer: Ija’tz cooperative, indigenous Maya Kaqchikel-Tz’utujil families
Variety: Bourbon, Caturra, Pache, Catuai
Processing: Natural
The Ija’tz cooperative is located in the department of Sololá, on the shores of Lake Atitlán. This crater lake surrounded by mountains with three majestic volcanoes is known not only for its stunning beauty, but also for the small picturesque and relatively untouched villages with strong Mayan culture and traditions. Ija’tz in particular is a community organization made up of indigenous Maya Kaqchikel-Tz’utujil families. In total, there are 35 small-holder farmers in the co-op and they own an average of approx. 5-10 acres of land. All coffee is farmed and processed by hand.
The cooperative was on the path of growth and expansion when literal disaster struck. Tropical storm Agatha hit Guatemala in May of 2010, with torrential rains that caused massive flooding, landslides, sinkholes, power outages and many deaths. The storm destroyed Ija’tz’s seed bank and all the documented history of their work. The office was also completely destroyed and then looted. But the storm didn’t kill the spirit of the people who showed resilience and managed to regenerate their cooperative.
De la Gente began working with Ija’tz in 2015, providing training and guidance on production techniques to ensure that they have the capacity to produce a lot that meets the standards for specialty coffee. We first purchased Ija’tz beans in 2016.
The co-op also benefited from De la Gente’s cooperative assistance program in many ways. With the support of our donors we were able to supply the farmers with a motorized backpack sprayer to prevent further crop losses due to roya (coffee leaf rust). Together we built worm composting beds to help increase the yield and in 2018 a service learning group constructed fermentation tanks which were sponsored by one of the U.S. roasters who buy Ija’tz beans.
Last, but not least, it is worth mentioning that Ija’tz has a long history of community-based projects driven by local needs, for example having introduced a nutrition program and opening a kitchen for catering. Moreover, the cooperative designed and implemented an innovative, environmentally sustainable water management system to help the town of San Lucas Tolimán deal with problems arising from its encroaching urban development. They constructed a sequence of channels and drainage ditches which improves the water flow during rainy season and prevents flooding in the area.
Information from our coffee importers De La Gente
www.dlgcoffee.org
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