Wilfredo García
Wilfredo’s Journey of Adapting to Climate Challenges
By Lauren Morris
Wilfredo García Córdoba knows coffee. As a second-generation coffee farmer and President of Norandino Cooperative, he represents over 7,000 producers in northern Peru. But in recent years, coffee farming has become tougher. Climate change is making the weather unpredictable, pests are spreading, and rainfall patterns are shifting.
“It has been raining a lot, whereas in previous years, the rain usually stopped by May.”
“But this year, it has been raining continuously, and it has affected us quite a bit. Many leaves and coffee cherries have fallen, and we couldn’t have a good harvest due to the rain,” Wilfredo explains. Every year, it gets harder to grow coffee.
“The climate is becoming more unpredictable, and we’ve noticed it every year. Climate change isn’t slowing down, so farmers have to stay one step ahead.”
Farmers in Norandino have seen these changes first-hand. One of the biggest threats is coffee rust – a disease that weakens plants and ruins crops. With rainfall patterns changing, farmers are finding it harder to control. “Productivity has indeed been significantly affected,” Wildredo adds.
“Coffee rust (roya) devastates everything, from leaves to cherries, and it leaves the plant weakened. About 20% to 30% of the plants need to be renewed because they are no longer viable,” he says.
Faced with these challenges, Norandino is taking action. Producers Direct is also playing a key role by helping farmers share knowledge and adapt to changing conditions. “With Producers Direct, I had the opportunity to go to Chanchamayo, and other producers from Villa Rica, as well as producers who have a more advanced and technical way of working, attended. But they are also facing the challenges of pests. To control pests, fertilization needs to change as well. It’s adjusted every year because not every year brings the same pests or diseases. With that, along with the experience we gain in the fields and technical advice, we keep learning more.”
Through its partnership with Cafédirect and support from Producers Direct’s Centre of Excellence, farmers are learning to adapt. Training, smarter farming, and sharing knowledge give them a fighting chance.
“Producers Direct set up a Centre of Excellence there, and we made a plot with monthly workshops. I participated in 12 workshops,” Wilfredo explains.
“That demonstration plot was designed to have the best seeds that adapt to the area, mainly coffee,” he adds.
“For Norandino, reforestation is a very important tool. We have already planted more than 1,600 trees.”
“Our goal is to plant about 5,000 or 10,000 hectares throughout the Piura highlands,” says Wilfredo. “It’s a preventive action, in the knowledge that every year, the rains are running out. It is the only alternative that we have at region, national or international level for there to be a little less pollution and to be able to start reducing pests and illnesses. When there’s no rain, there is the coffee berry borer. In a year without rainfall, we could lose more than 50% of the production.”
Cafédirect’s reforestation project is a practical way to deal with climate change. More trees mean better soil, more rainfall, and healthier coffee crops. And by earning carbon credits, farmers can make a bit more money for looking after their land.
“Reforestation is a very important strategy for us because it allows us to decontaminate the environment a little and, above all, also to attract rainfall so that there is good water for our plants,” he says.
The work doesn’t stop here. Climate change isn’t going away, and neither are the challenges farmers face. But Norandino’s farmers aren’t standing still. With support from Producers Direct, they’re finding smarter ways to farm, reforesting the land, and making sure their crops can withstand what’s coming next.
Unstable coffee prices and a changing climate mean farming is tougher than ever. Too much risk, not enough reward. That’s why Cafédirect works the way it does – buying straight from cooperatives, paying fair prices, and investing in farmer-led solutions. Because when farmers can keep growing, we can all keep drinking.
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Ainer García
