We were first introduced to these farmers through Catholic Relief Services' Borderlands project. Before the project, most producers sold their coffee for minimal premiums to one of two exporters. Through the project, producers banded together in associations to sell coffee to quality-focused buyers. In doing so, they created a new business model previously unseen in the region. We first bought coffee from the La Esmeralda association, producers of K’uychi, in 2015. La Esmeralda is located in the town of Samaniego, an area with a history of heavy guerrilla activity, which isolated farmers and discouraged their collaboration. Defying long odds, the 29 producers in the association have worked together to improve their farms, the environment, and the quality of their coffee. Every year, the association invests in improving the quality of their coffee, the sustainability of their farms, and preservation of their community’s natural resources. Since forming their organization, the producers of K’uychi have purchased plots of land at the source of a natural water spring. The group has also reforested the area and prevented illegal mining, to the benefit of residents downstream. The group has applied for and received several Counter Culture Seeds grants to expand their conservation efforts, which include tree nurseries and wastewater treatment systems. Given their environmental work, it's fitting that the farmers named their coffee K’uychi, or “rainbow,” in the Quechua language. We’re thrilled to be a part of this unique supply stream, one with positive impacts on the present and future of coffee farming in Nariño. Pronunciation: (koo-EE-chee)