Exploring El Salvador

*Finca España, Santa Ana, Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Ahuachapán*

After my month in Mexico, it was quite thrilling to board a plane for a new country. El Salvador…my next destination. I was eager and excited to land in the volcanic country.

In the late 1800s, coffee finally reached the shores of the small but mighty country of El Salvador. The crop arrived when the leading exporting indigo lost its prominence on the market. Coffee soon spread to massive estates, owned by wealthy individuals who forced peasants to give up their own land in order to work and assist with the tasks associated with the estates.

Thanks to the prominence of coffee and the wealth involved with coffee production – roads and infrastructure were constructed to ensure ease of trade. Facilities such as mills were also built to make the production of coffee smoother. With this support from the richest people in El Salvador, the country was responsible for a significant portion of the world’s global production of coffee. Specifically, in the 1920s, coffee represented 90% of the country’s exports, and El Salvador climbed the ladder to become the fourth largest producer of coffee in the world by the 1970s.

However, in 1979, a civil war broke out, causing the abandonment of a huge portion of the coffee farms in the country. El Salvador struggled to maintain its exports during this time, until the war dissolved in 1992. Although the war ravaged the country for over a decade, it led to important land reforms that redistributed land to smallholder producers. Thanks to these efforts, today, nearly 95% of coffee is grown by smallholders who own less than 20 hectares. There is also a limit for the size of an estate, which is 245 hectares.

Once I arrive, the air is warm and humid in San Salvador. It is night, and I meet with an old friend as we venture into the capital. The next day is spent wandering the city, exploring the busy streets and drinking coffee.

*Fernando Alfaro, El Carmen, Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Ahuachapán*

On our second day, we meet with a man named Fernando, who picks us up and drives us about two hours to the town of Ataco. As we drive, we pass vast landscapes of volcanoes and mountains, we gain altitude and the heat greets us as we open the doors. Fernando tells us about his family’s many generations in the coffee industry, and the mill he now runs.

*Finca España, Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Ahuachapán*

We first visit Finca España, a farm belonging to Fernando’s mother-in-law. The farm manager greets us, and we wander around the farm, climb high, gaze out at the views. My colleague is ecstatic, this being his first farm visit. It was wonderful to see his eagerness.

Back into the car and a quick stop to change cars at his mountain home (made of containers…). From that point onwards, we are in a bright red Suzuki, riding along the roads of this rural El Salvador town, wind in our hair, sun on our cheeks.

*Suzuki in El Carmen, Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Ahuachapán*

We explore the namesake farm, El Carmen, owned by Fernando’s family for generations. It was interesting to see so unique varietals here such as Orange Bourbon and Gesha, whilst also learning about different pruning methods.

*El Carmen Mill, Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Ahuachapán*

Bumpy roads in the Suzuki guide us to the mill of El Carmen, responsible for processing coffee for various producers throughout El Salvador. After a quick lunch with some amazing fluffy tortillas, we get a tour of the expansive mill. It was wonderful to see such an impressive enterprise, and guided by an excellent host! Soon we were back at our hotel, ready to rest.

*Tortillas at El Carmen House, Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Ahuachapán*

The following day, we were met by Alfredo, a member of the well-known Pacas family, known for discovering a collection of new varietals in El Salvador. We drove a couple of hours to La Libertad, where the mill and office are located. Alfredo tells us the history of his family, how they have been growing coffee for five generations, discovered the Pacas varietal in 1949, opened their own mill to support their family farms, with an extensive varietal garden to assess how different varietals fare in El Salvador.

This family is quite impressive! Once we arrived at the mill and lab, we immediately tasted a vast array of coffees from the Pacas family, explored the mill, and had a quick lunch.

Back into the car to see Finca La Esperanza, nearby. We gained so much altitude, it was wild! The view from the top was impressive, and we saw many different varietals including the famed Bernadina, another varietal discovered by the family. Alfredo was an excellent host and we soon ventured home. As the sun set, I contemplated the future of coffee in El Salvador, and what varietal would potentially dominate.

The following days, I traveled with an organization to see nurseries growing Marsellesa, farms in the Apaneca region, and school projects in the Ahuachapan department. I really enjoyed visiting San Jorge, a farm just outside of Ataco, and meeting with Nena and Hermann Mendez. Such lovely producers! We could not stop talking.

*Nena and Hermann Mendez, Finca Don Jorge, Ataco*

And my guide, a lovely human named Byron, was extremely passionate about the school projects we visited. I loved chatting with him, and was in awe of his dedication. So much innovation and care for the future of not only coffee farms, but also the producers and their families.

My time in El Salvador was quite unique - visiting with families that are responsible for significant portions of coffee production and processing whilst also seeing social projects hoping to improve the rural coffee-producing communities of the country. El Salvador is still recovering from the detrimental civil war, and there are a number of organizations that are seeking to assist coffee producers. The weather is warm, rains late, and trees are gradually being replanted with more resistant varietals. I am eager to see the future, but I have plenty of hope for this tiny but mighty country!

Navigating Through Nicaragua

Cacao Forests of Mexico