Colombia Cencoic Tacueyo Nº 358

Located in southwestern Colombia, nestled in the Andean foothills, is the municipality of Torbío where the Tacueyó Indigenous Reserve can be found. The home to the Nasa people. Their philosophy sees territory as a living being where mountains, rivers and forest are sacred. This simple principal, guides the community in how they use the land. Ensuring harmony between nature and human activity, making coffee farming not only an economic but spiritual practice.

Alongside these ancestral traditions, the Indigenous Cooperative of Cauca (CENCOIC) helps connect indigenous farmers with international coffee markets. Founded in 1980, CENCOIC brings together 19 reserves and more than 3,000 families, including ASPROCRIT in Tacueyó, the largest association within the cooperative. ASPROCRIT represents over 500 Nasa families, many of whom farm less than one hectare of land. Coffee is usually processed at home using traditional washed methods, although producers now also receive technical training to improve coffee quality and environmental practices, such as treating wastewater and recycling plastics into fermentation tanks.

Global demand for traceable and sustainable coffee also plays an important role in shaping production. Through CENCOIC, farmers in Tacueyó can access certifications and international markets, allowing them to earn higher prices for their coffee. These profits help fund community projects such as housing improvements, education programmes, and bio factories that produce organic fertiliser. These initiatives reflect the Nasa principle of Buen Vivir, or “Good Living,” which focuses on collective wellbeing and harmony with nature.

In this way, the Nasa worldview and modern economics come together through coffee production as a tool for peace and self determination. After decades of armed conflict and pressure from illicit crop cultivation, coffee has provided many families with a stable and dignified livelihood. By combining spiritual traditions with cooperative organisation and market opportunities, Tacueyó shows that sustainability is not only about technical or economic solutions, but also about culture, community, and identity.