Thursday, September 21 on Zoom
7:00pm Eastern | 6:00pm Central | 4:00pm Pacific
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Small-scale coffee farming can be back-breaking work for small rewards. Building a democratic cooperative is not easy. And surviving in a competitive market while at the mercy of climate extremes is brutal. So how has Café Organico Marcala, S.A. (COMSA) in Honduras managed to survive and grow? In this live webinar, you will learn from a direct source of their success. Miriam Zelaya is a 3rd generation coffee farmer who has been a teacher, agricultural engineer, and Fair Trade leader. She and her colleagues have demonstrated an unparalleled vision in breaking new ground to enable coop members to survive in the market—and strengthen family relationships in their community. At this live Zoom event, you will learn how their multi-faceted approach to integrated organic farming has built farmer skills and confidence, enabled the coop to grow and gained widespread industry recognition for their innovations.
Miriam Elizabeth Pérez Zelaya was born in Marcala, La Paz, Honduras, and is the third generation of a humble coffee-producing family. Prior to her current roles in the coffee cooperative world, Miriam was a Primary Education Teacher. Later, at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, "UNAH", she obtained the Title of Agricultural Engineer, and at the Catholic University of Honduras she received a degree in Project Management. More recently, at the UNAH Miriam earned a degree in Social Market Economy.
Through this experience she is qualified to train others in agricultural technical assistance, organizational strengthening, gender, project design and management and local economic development. Miriam is a producer of organic, biodynamic and pranic specialty coffee and was Secretary of the Board of Directors of SPP (Small Farmers Symbol Certification) Global, in 2020-21. She worked at Café Orgánico Marcala S.A. de C.V. "COMSA" as Certification Manager and Fair Trade Official, who coordinated the FLO premium committee and was secretary of the Internal Control System committee. Among its results of community work are the establishment of the La Paz Rural Women Coordinator, "COMUCAP", founder of the Regional Agricultural Producers of Organic Producers of La Sierra (RAOS), precursor of COMSA, BANCOMSA, FUNDACOMSA and Association "Clave Sun".
Miriam is the current coordinator of the “Marcala Ciudad Comercio Justo” Committee. She tries to give back to her country in some way the knowledge she has received, working with women, youth and children, to make an impact on their way of thinking, because, as she says,
“If we change our way of thinking, we will change our way of living.”