Huila, located between the Cordillera Oriental and Cordillera Central in Colombia, is known for its ancient volcanoes and high peaks, including the impressive Neiva de Huila, which is the country’s third-highest peak at 5,750 meters. However, Huila is not only a geological wonder but also renowned as the birthplace of specialty coffee in Colombia. Coffee has a deep-rooted connection to Colombia, with its history intertwined with the nation itself even before the significant production boom in the 1870s. Around 550,000 Colombian families depend on coffee for their livelihood.

The country’s coffee production is largely in the hands of small scale farmers who process their own crops. In fact, approximately 60% of Colombia’s coffee comes from farms that are smaller than
5 hectares in size.

The producer group is a member of the Terra Verde Asociación. This cooperative is working directly with 420 farms in Nariño and Huila. The focus of Terra Coffee is on supporting smallholder producers who cultivate coffee on farms ranging from 1 to 1.5 hectares. These farms are predominantly family-run units where knowledge and expertise are passed down through generations. The cooperative operates within the framework of clean and organic agriculture, prioritising environmental sustainability and respect
for the environment. The Terra Verde Asociación was founded in 2016 by Wbeimar Lasso and Juliana Guevara, who aimed to create alternative opportunities for coffee producers. Their cooperative is built on a system that values the individual work and abilities of each producer. The focus is on developing the potential of each farm, with the ultimate goal of harnessing collective capacities and fostering improvements in productivity and quality through synergy among producers.