High-End Coffee and Smallholding Growers in Guatemala

46 Pages Posted: 20 Feb 2013 Last revised: 21 Aug 2013

See all articles by Edward Fischer

Edward Fischer

Vanderbilt University - Anthropology Department

Bart Victor

Vanderbilt University - Organization Studies

Date Written: September 1, 2012

Abstract

La producción de café en Guatemala se ha transformado dramáticamente en los últimos veinte años. El gusto ha cambiado entre los consumidores del Norte lo cual ha llevado a una nueva demanda en cafés de alta calidad denominada "Estrictamente Dura" que se cultivan a mas de 4500 pies de altura. Como resultado, muchas de las grandes fincas típicamente asociadas con el café Guatemalteco han abandonado la producción del mismo, dedicándose ahora a el caucho, palma africana y otros cultivos. Al menos 50,000 campesinos, la mayoría pequeños propietarios del altiplano, han comenzado el cultivo del café para llenar este nicho de mercado. Basado en la teoría de capacidades para el desarrollo, este artículo examina cómo los deseos de pequeños productores guatemaltecos para un futuro mejor orientan su compromiso con este nuevo mercado. La mayoría de estos pequeños productores viven en circunstancias muy modestas, con recursos y oportunidades limitados. Sin embargo, como describimos, el café representa una oportunidad en un contexto de pocas oportunidades, una vía imperfecta hacia una vida un mejor.

Coffee production in Guatemala has undergone a dramatic transformation over the last twenty years. Changing tastes among Northern consumers has driven new demand for high quality “Strictly Hard Bean” coffees that are grown above 4500’. As a result, many of the large, lower altitude plantations long synonymous with coffee in Guatemala have abandoned production, moving into rubber, African Palm, and other crops. At least 50,000 mostly smallholding farmers in the highlands have begun growing coffee to fill this market niche. Building on a capabilities approach to development, this paper examines how smallholding Guatemalan producers’ desires for a better future orient their engagement with this new market. Most of these small producers live in very modest circumstances, with limited resources and opportunities. Yet, as they describe it, coffee represents an opportunity in a context of few opportunities, an imperfect means to a marginally better life.

Keywords: coffee, small-holdings, Guatemala, development

Suggested Citation

Fischer, Edward and Victor, Bart Irwin, High-End Coffee and Smallholding Growers in Guatemala (September 1, 2012). Latin American Research Review, Forthcoming, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management Research Paper No. 2220836, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2220836 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2220836

Edward Fischer (Contact Author)

Vanderbilt University - Anthropology Department ( email )

124 Garland Hall
Nashville, TN 37235
United States

Bart Irwin Victor

Vanderbilt University - Organization Studies ( email )

Nashville, TN 37203
United States

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