How Women Coffee Farmers Lead Sustainable Coffee Farming in Peru
Meet Genith Apagueño Cahuaza, a coffee farmer who reconnected with her roots and is now a coffee farmer in Peru’s San Martín region. Her journey is a powerful story of choosing farming after having traveled other paths.
Genith Apagueño Cahuaza, 42, grew up immersed in the rhythms of the coffee farm. From childhood, she accompanied her grandparents and father, absorbing the secrets of coffee growing and a deep love for the land. In Peru, over 70% of coffee production comes from small family farms like the one Genith grew up on.
Yet, upon reaching adulthood, she took a different direction. Genith moved to the city to pursue a technical career and work for the municipality of San Martín.
Why One Woman Left Her Job to Embrace Sustainable Coffee Farming
In 2020, I quit my job at the municipality, and since 2021, I have been dedicated to coffee production.”
The death of her father was the definitive turning point. “My father worked the coffee plot, and when he died, I took over the farm,” she shared. With determination and commitment, she stepped up, assuming the responsibility of keeping the family farm alive. For Genith, returning to the countryside was a rediscovery of her essence.
“Life in the countryside is very beautiful,” she said, a sentiment reflected in her smile that radiates both pride and inner peace.
Empowering Women Through Sustainable Coffee Training in Peru
Since taking over the farm, Genith has become a dedicated farmer, focused on both quality and sustainability. Her commitment is strengthened by her involvement with the Oro Verde Coffee Cooperative. Through the cooperative, she actively participates in training under CAFE Amazonía Resiliente, an initiative implemented by TechnoServe and funded by JDE Peet’s.
The project supports Peruvian coffee farmers by driving the adoption of regenerative cultivation practices. We provide comprehensive support for commercializing their yields, ensuring farmers achieve greater economic returns for their families. Simultaneously, the program strengthens the coffee sector by actively promoting the leadership of rural women and ensuring the elimination of child labor in agriculture.
“We are in full training, learning many topics that are very beneficial for production,” Genith explained.
Her participation in technical and leadership training has significantly strengthened her skills and confidence. “In the training, we’ve learned practical things, like how to assemble and disassemble pulping machines,” she noted.
Her greatest takeaway, however, is empowerment: “Trainings like these help us as women to find our voice in society, and not to give up.”
Building Women’s Leadership in Peru’s Coffee Sector
The training has redefined Genith’s perspective, shifting the perception of women in the countryside from supportive roles to active protagonists in rural development. Now, she leads by example. With fellow cooperative members, Genith promotes self-sufficient groups of women entrepreneurs that focus 100% on coffee, building unity, and learning together.
“We women are fighters, warriors,” she stated, a conviction that mirrors the characteristic strength of resilient producers throughout the Peruvian countryside.
Genith is now a shining example of dedication and success rooted in the land. Her journey proves that by combining training, commitment, and passion, coffee production can transform not just the fields where it grows, but the very dreams of the farmer.