The saying “uglier than a widow’s farm” no longer fits the department, and today there are already 6,000 women energizing coffee growing in Risaraldense, generating their own resources and raising their families.
“The role of women in coffee growing today is very important because this beautiful work that has been done since our ancestors is becoming visible, now we are paying tribute to our grandmothers, showing the work that they did…in Risaralda women are skilled, complete and very capable, and we are demonstrating it by being part of the coffee industry, women’s coffee is unique, it is unmatched like us,” said María Lucerito Martínez Ramírez, a coffee farmer from the municipality of La Celia, who is also a leader union. She represents the Committee of Coffee Growers of her municipality and delegate to the Departmental Committee as a substitute, during the delivery event of the book El Eje Cafetero en una taza de café, a recent creation of the editorial line of El Diario.
Of the more than 19,000 coffee growers who have Risaralda today, close to 6,000 are women, who are not only boosting the economy of the department, but also generating their own resources and supporting their families. The fruit of their work is delight. in the mouths of those who have the privilege of trying a cup of his coffee, a cup that has the aroma of a woman, a Risaraldense woman.
“The associativity is very important, because nothing great is achieved alone, we have discovered that there are wonderful leaders in all our municipalities…we are making a difference because thanks to our blessed coffee, we are receiving more resources to improve the quality of life of women coffee farmers from our department,” added Lucerito, as the union affectionately calls her.
Associations
In the midst of fears and challenges, it is evident that women have been making their way in this union and standing out with the good flavor of the seeds that their delicate hands cultivate, and an example of this is also the Municipal Association of Rural Women of Santa Rosa de Cabal, made up of 62 of them.
“Each one has their land where they produce different products, in each village of Santa Rosa de Cabal we have two representatives, we produce vegetables, hens, chickens, honey, special coffees, jelly, among others, most of us are heads of household. helping their husbands. stated Marleny Arroyave Velásquez, legal representative of the association created 25 years ago for the benefit of women.
exporters
Melisa Restrepo and her mother, owners of Gran Café SAS, are another clear example of the strength of the coffee woman, they still work under the legacy of their ancestors and today they take Risaralda coffee to the world, exporting this grain to countries like the United States and the Emirates. Arabs.
These great female achievements are also highlighted in the book “The Coffee Axis in a Cup of Coffee”, a literary work by this publishing house. Several of its pages are dedicated to the role of the female gender in this sector, the first line of Risaralda’s production.