ISMAM, Mexico

Indigenes de la Sierra Madre de Motozintla (ISMAM) Co-operative, Mexico

The ISMAM Co-operative was established in 1985 and represents 938 Mayan farmers from more than 100 rural communities in the region of Sierra Madre de Chiapas. The cooperative was founded with the goal of improving members' lives by avoiding exploitive local intermediaries. ISMAN produces 171 containers of coffee every year, which are all organic certified.

The producers come from 100 smaller collectives who own plots an average of 4 hectares in size. They are located up to 350km (or nine hours by truck) from the organisation's base in Tapachula. The coffee is grown under the forest canopy at around 1400 metres.

The co-operative is able to guarantee prices to its members prior to the harvest, and buys all its members' production. Due to fair trade's higher prices, members are all able to send their children at least to primary school and, in many cases, to high school as well. They have also diversified into citrus trees to improve food security and family incomes. Previously, low incomes had caused large migration which caused a loss indigenous culture and local traditions. Migration rates have decreased.