Sicobi Oaxaca FW

Sicobi, short for Sistema Comunitario para el Resguardo y Manejo de la Biodiversidad (Community System for Protecting and Managing Biodiversity), was established in 2010 by the non-governmental organization GAIA. Initially, Sicobi comprised ten communities, but the number has since reduced to six. GAIA, a group of biologists with 25 years of experience in Oaxaca, remains involved in the commercial and developmental aspects of Sicobi while the organization's members now play a more significant role in its organization.

Sicobi employs an innovative method to organize growers. Although it doesn't engage with all coffee growers in the surrounding communities, it has set forth policies and regulations covering the entire territory of these communities. Sicobi enforces these policies through a board composed of local authorities, with a focus on preserving biodiversity within the community. In each Sicobi community, there is a paid technician, usually a young student responsible for gathering community-specific information. This data guides the council in formulating policies and rules that optimize the utilization of the community's natural resources.

One of Sicobi's primary goals is to preserve biodiversity within the community. They enforce policies that aim to protect the natural environment while maintaining sustainable coffee production. These policies are typically formulated through input from local authorities and the data gathered by community technicians.

Sicobi's coffee boasts a distinctive cup profile. While their coffees undergo a 100% washed process, they exhibit characteristics akin to natural coffees. This unique profile results from the natural conditions of the area, especially the arid landscape that creates a micro-climate. Furthermore, Sicobi's growers ferment their coffee in wooden tanks, contributing to the coffee's natural profile.

Sustainable Harvest® is a specialty coffee trader focusing primarily on bringing coffees to market that are sourced from smallholder farmer cooperatives in the supply chain such as indigenous communities, women groups and the next generation of coffee farmers.

Their sourcing model is built on transparency, traceability and direct relationships between quality-minded coff­ee roasters and best-in-class coffee producers. Sustainable Harvest® has an on-site presence at origin with staff­ in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Peru. Each office coordinates their supply including quality management, supplier relationships, source development, logistics, training and capacity building.