FEDECARES, Dominican Republic
* Founded in 1985
* 6500 members in 13 provinces: Baní, Azua, San Cristóbal, Polo, La Descubierta, San José de Ocoa, Barahona, Pedernales, Juan Santiago, Los Ríos, El Cercado, Neyba and Hondo Valle
* Mission: Bring economic and social stability to its members' families in order to improve their quality of life
* Arabica Coffee Produced: Baní (cultivated in altitudes 700 to 1000 meters) and Barahona (cultivated in altitudes 800 to 1200 meters)
FEDECARES was born out of the necessity to rebuild the coffee regions after the devastating Cyclone David hit the Dominican Republic in 1979. The producers understood that by joining forces, they would become stronger. They first created an individual community association. Then in 1983, 60 different community associations came together to form the regional structure known as “Federation de Caficultores de la Region Sur” (FEDECARES). This non-for profit organization was legally recognized in August 1991. Since then, it has grown and now includes 157 associations in 13 different provinces. The main office of FEDECARES is located in the city of San Cristóbal.
The main purpose of FEDECARES is to contribute to a better quality of life for its members and their families through different strategies such as: investment in needed infrastructure, promoting ecological practices for the protection of the environment, and increasing cooperation between the different producing regions iin the country.
FEDECARES provides assistance to its members during the harvest season but it also supports them in other areas such as marketing, training and technical support. Other services include: technological change, diversification of the coffee production, increased managing capacity, networking, fair trade and institutional development.
FEDECARES has been exporting the coffee since 1982 and has established long term relationships between its members and coffee importers in Europe, Canada, the United States (both in conventional and Fair trade markets).
In 1989 FEDECARES joined fair trade as one of the first suppliers to the Max Havelaar Fondation (the precursor to FLO). FEDECARES is also a member of local and international organizations and networks, such as “Consejo Dominicano del Café” and the “Coordinadora Latinoamérica y del Caribe de Pequeños Productores de Comercio Justo”.
