Honduras COMSA Marcala

.COMSA (Café Orgánico Marcala, S.A.) was founded in the year 2000 by 60 Honduran coffee farmers who joined together with common goals: to transform their farms from conventional to organic production and to directly export their coffee. In 2001, fostered by a foundation called FUNDER, they earned their organic certification from Bio Latina. This has enabled them to market their coffee to more international buyers and realize better selling prices. In February 2006, COMSA applied for and was granted Fair Trade certification status.

In recent years, COMSA has grown to well over a 1000 member farmers, focusing on economic, social, and environmental goals to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development. They fund many social projects including paying teachers’ salaries and purchasing school supplies.

COMSA is home to an innovative experimental farm called La Fortaleza where the members come together to exchange ideas with other growers. The philosophy of COMSA’s organic vision emphasizes the “5 Ms”: (organic) Material, Microorganisms, Minerals, (living) Molecules, and (gray) Matter or brain power. All five are essential to healthy soil.