Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/491374
34 STiR tea & coffee industry international "So we have this program called the New Gen- eration of Coffee Growers or La Nueva Gener- ación Cafetera," says Fajardo. According to Yenny Velasquez Alzate, the economist who leads the Specialty Coffee Program in Antioquia, the goal is to reach young people from the farms. The program is not just training or giving coffee lessons, it is a project for life. It can teach coffee production in a different way than how it was taught to their parents. As land owners their duty is to act like busi- nessmen and women – not coffee bag carriers. Students studying marketing, for example, learn to promote their family's very own coffee brand. It is important to show the new generation that they can be what they want to be in their own land. "This is not just carrying a bag of coffee to the cooperative. They can market their items of spe- cialty coffee, they can be tasters, have their own coffee brand, be baristas, and have their own cof- fee shops," explainsYenny. The will to prepare and inspire a new genera- tion is imbedded in two big projects. The Coffee Camping is the first step to stimulate young peo- ple's interests and show that there are other oppor- tunities for young Colombians. These opportuni- ties are in the fields. The entire coffee production chain is explained in 36 groups comprised of 28 students, a total of 1.000 people between the ages of 14 and 18 years of age. Each teacher receives four groups per day and the whole camping takes one weekend. "I am very happy because I've never had an experience like this," said young Alejandro Zapata Granados, who is 15 but looks much younger. "After this experience, I learned how to like the countryside better. Now, I have a lot of expecta- tions in my finca (farm)." After intensive days studying everything from plant diseases to management, and coffee cupping, he found his passion: roasting. "I love roasting. I like smelling the aroma chang- ing with the heating process. Actually, I love any- thing related to coffee," he said. When asked about the danger of working near hot equipment while still young, he answers with a confident smile "I am not afraid. It is not dangerous." The training inspired his dream to become a great coffee grower and export his production. Young Granados now wants to start as soon as possible. "I want to improve what papa is doing," he said. The course work is conducted in tents spread all over the camp. Classes are attended by quiet and at- tentive students. Most of the teachers are profession- als from the FNC. The Government provides infra- structure but the FNC has educated growers for eight decades. All the knowledge, classes, research, tips and technical advice exchanged at camp are then shared with the community. This combination of strengths will change Colombian coffee history. In addition to its ongoing work with producers across the country, FNC is concentrating its energy in these exciting coffee opportunities in Antioquia. "The FNC is constantly helping through co- operatives and regional committees," says barista Daniel Brandão, son of a coffee producer from Jardín city who is working as an instructor at the camp. After winning first place in a barismo cham- pionship when he was 18 years old, Brandão found a whole new world of opportunities and saw hope in coffee to change his life. "When I started I didn't know what a barismo was," he says. Now, he is a professional barista working in the government's coffee training pro- grams. "The camp is great and has a good energy. I can see myself in the eyes of these young people. They remind me of who I was two years ago!" he exclaims. While camp lasts only a few weeks, the Parques Educativos (Educational Parks) is an ongoing pro- gram conducted in community spaces for locals to enhance their social, cultural and economic skills through classes and training. One part of their agenda is established by the state and the other part is organized and decided by the citizens of the region where the park is located. Approximately 41 community centers are currently in operation and another 39 are planned. Most of them focus on academic and technical subjects associated with coffee. If there was any doubt that coffee can be an en- gine for social transformation, Colombia is prov- ing that this is possible. The world's largest coffee producing countries such as Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico, Ethio- pia, India, Guatemala have much to learn from the experiences drawn in Colombia. STiR Tea & Coffee International South American correspondent Kelly Stein traveled to Antioquia in Septem- ber as a guest of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) and the government of Antioquia. Tasting coffee is critical to understanding the needs of buyers. Colombia is growing more specialty coffee for an export market that demands quality.