Pangaea Organica

"Fair Trade has definitely helped our community—it has helped us improve our school and water supplies. It has also made a big difference in the price we get for our coffee with the guaranteed payment. We simply want you to buy our coffee at a fair price so we can be independent." —Workineh Heldaja, OCFCU member

OCFCU (Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union), the largest Fair Trade coffee producer in Ethiopia, was founded in 1999 when small cooperatives in Southwestern Ethiopia came together with the goal of exporting their coffee directly to the specialty market.

OCFCU members are dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship and social justice in their communities. Women hold prominent positions throughout the organization and all six varieties of OCFCU’s award-winning coffee are produced with organic techniques in bird-friendly conditions. The cooperative became Fair Trade Certified by Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) in 2002. Today, OCFCU sells its coffee to Fair Trade markets in the United States and Europe.

OCFCU has invested Fair Trade revenues in the following initiatives:

Crop diversification Members intercrop coffee plants with citrus and bananas for consumption.

Credit program OCFCU has established a cooperative bank which offers low-interest loans to members, alleviating dependence on outside financing.

Infrastructure improvements Member organizations have purchased washing stations for their coffee, and OCFCU has developed a fund for repairing equipment.

Education Member co-ops have constructed 4 schools and 21 additional classrooms with the Fair Trade premium, and four new schools are underway.

Health OCFCU has funded the construction and operation of four local health clinics.

Sustainable agriculture OCFCU hires and trains development agents to teach member farmers sustainable farming methods. OCFCU’s coffee is forest-grown, organic, and bird-friendly.

A commitment to organic production. OCFCU provides training to its members on organic farming techniques such as composting the by-products of coffee production and utilizing shade trees and natural fertilizers.