Illustration: Coffee grown in harmony with nature in the Amazon Biosphere ReserveCoffee is one of the most important sources of income for farmers in the Oxapampa-Asháninka-Yanesha Reserve (BIOAY) in Peru. Through a project run by UNESCO and LVMH, which supports Amazonian reserves, coffee is helping to strengthen the economy of local indigenous peoples.
Peru has over 425,000 hectares of land dedicated to coffee cultivation and is a world leader in organic coffee exports, alongside Ethiopia. Coffee provides a livelihood for over 225,000 families and also helps to combat illegal cultivation, such as coca plantations and land theft.
High-quality coffee is grown in the Oxapampa district, especially in Villa Rica. The area has a long history of coffee cultivation, which began 105 years ago. Today, 90% of the population is involved in coffee production, but only a few have received BIOAY certification.
BIOAY – An opportunity for local coffee producers In 2010, the Oxapampa-Asháninka-Yanesha Reserve was recognised by UNESCO as an important natural area. In 2021, BIOAY became the first certified brand for a biosphere reserve in Peru, demonstrating that producers follow good agricultural practices and work in line with the UN's sustainability goals. BIOAY certification helps farmers improve their lives and increase the value of their coffee.
Madeleine Huerta, who founded "Huerta Café" in Villa Rica over 50 years ago, is an example of a successful producer. She changed her work when the coffee harvest was hit by yellow rust, a disease that destroys coffee trees. She started growing organic and finer coffee beans, such as the exclusive Geisha variety. This earned her BIOAY certification and led to her winning the Golden Bean Award in 2023.
Women in the coffee industry Rosmery López is another prominent coffee producer from Villa Rica. At the age of 30, she runs "Café mi Reyna", an organic farm where she grows chemical-free coffee that is also BIOAY certified. Rosmery not only wants to produce good coffee, but also to strengthen the role of women in coffee farming. She works with a cooperative of female organic coffee farmers in Villa Rica, and together with her colleagues, she fights to highlight women's work and leadership in the coffee industry.
The BIOAY reserve and sustainability BIOAY certification gives the coffee higher value and visibility for the growers, and it strengthens the market and the quality of the products. It also creates new opportunities for the people in the reserve.
The Amazon Biosphere Reserve Project The Amazon Biosphere Reserve Project combines research with local knowledge and supports sustainable farming methods. In Peru, the project has been active since 2021 and operates in both the Oxapampa-Asháninka-Yanesha Reserve and the Manu Reserve. <
This text highlights how coffee cultivation in Peru contributes to both economic development and nature conservation, with a particular focus on women driving change.
