The Borderlands Project is a powerful example of how partnerships between humanitarian organizations and businesses can create lasting economic transformation. Despite Nariño’s exceptional coffee quality, decades of armed conflict left the region lagging behind in Colombia’s flourishing specialty coffee sector. The conflict isolated farmers and disrupted their ability to collaborate. During this time, most small-scale farmers had little bargaining power, selling their coffee to just two exporters working on behalf of large buyers who paid minimum market prices.
In 2012, Catholic Relief Services launched the Borderlands Project to unite farmers and expand market access. Through the project, farmers organized into associations to sell directly to quality-focused buyers. CRS provided expert guidance in quality control and agronomy support. Counter Culture joined the project’s advisory board, collaborating on the programs and buying coffee from the new associations.
The impact has been profound. Strong, reliable purchasing relationships have enabled farmers to reinvest in their farms, improving coffee quality, environmental sustainability, and economic resilience. Once a fragmented region, Nariño is now a key player in Colombia’s specialty coffee sector. We’re proud to have Borderlands coffee as a cornerstone of our menu and work with such resourceful and resilient organizations.
