Together towards a sustainable and just future
The cooperative of small-scale farmers APEOSAE operates in the southern Amazon region of Ecuador. A highly fertile region plagued by deforestation. APEOSAE wants to change this. Their founding mission is to improve the lives of local farmers and has since become a cornerstone of the community.
They promote sustainable and organic agriculture and are pioneers in Latin America in deforestation-free production and export.
Producing by and for future generations
APEOSAE produces coffee, cocoa, platanos (banana variety) and yuca without compromising the integrity of the forests. The cooperative is committed to training and supporting the next generation of farmers, to ensure that sustainable knowledge and practices are passed on.
Fair trade is at the core of their livelihoods, and the basis of a stronger, more resilient community. When products receive a fair income and can work in decent working conditions, where every member of the cooperative has the opportunity to thrive.
By using sustainable agricultural practices, we not only protect our rich biodiversity but also ensure a legacy of responsible production for future generations.
Carlos Tomas Suquisupa Herrera
APEOSAE & Oxfam
- Partner with Oxfam Fair Trade since 2024 for organic plantain and yucca chips.
- A number of cooperative members grow plantain (banana) for this product, which serves as a welcome supplement to their income from coffee. Coffee and banana plants are very complementary crops, as it happens. The large leaves of the plantain plants shelter the coffee plants from rainfall.
- APEOSAE strives to be not just a cooperative, but truly a community where everyone strives for a more equitable and sustainable future.