Coffee growers’ cooperatives in Colombia: The case of the Andes Cooperative in the Department of Antioquia, 1927-2015

Abstract

The article exposes the historical events of the coffee cooperative in Colombia, between 1927 and 2015, taking as a milestone the creation of the National Federation of Coffee Growers and emphasizing a representative case: The Cooperativa de Caficultores of Andes –Cooperandes–, in the Antioquia’s Department. It seeks to identify the meaning of the relationship between the Federation as a representative of the coffee guild and the cooperatives, and the contribution of these to the improvement of the living conditions of the members and their families. The hypothesis is oriented to show that this type of organizations have not only been a strategic ally of the coffee institutionality, but they have also contributed to the local development of the communities that house them. The methodology focuses on qualitative research, the case presentation method and the documentary technique.