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CECOSEMAC - Nicaragua
Fast Facts on CECOSEMAC
197 members spread throughout seven base cooperatives
Coffee grown at 900-1300 meters (2700-3900 feet) above sea-level
Characteristics of coffee: sweet, caramel, chocolatey, smooth
38,000 lbs imported by CoopCoffees in 2008
Central de Cooperativas de Servicios Multiples Aroma del Cafe
CECOSEMAC is a union of cooperatives comprised of small-scale coffee producers. The member cooperatives are located in the mountains of Matagalpa and Jinotega, Nicaragua. They have both FLO certification as well as organic certification from Bio Latina. The coffee produced by CECOSEMAC is high quality as it is grown at a high elevation and in nutrient-rich volcanic soil.
The farmers of CECOSEMAC put a lot of effort into caring for their environment, understanding 
that coffee production is more than just picking the cherries off the bush: "As farmers we care for the entire coffee ecosystem, from maintaining the correct balance of sun and shade in the tall trees that grow above the coffee, to planting nitrogen-fixing plants on the ground so that the soil will remain fertile, and periodically renewing the coffee bushes to maintain production." The individual farmers and families own and take care of their own land and all management decisions are made individually. The idea behind the umbrella organization is to provide lower costs and more direct relationships with buyers by processing and marketing the coffee collectively. Loans and technical assistance is given through the cooperative and organic and Fair Trade certification is earned by CECOSEMAC.
The base cooperatives consist of farmers and families who live near one another -- usually neighbors or relatives make up one of these smaller cooperatives. They share concerns and visions based on their immediate environment. As rainfall and temperature may differ from one base cooperative's community to another, the needs of each one must be met accordingly and often separately.
