Something as simple as the price of a coffee bean can have a devastating effect on a country like El Salvador. Natural disasters, political unrest, poor harvests and market changes can all cause irreparable harm. To stay afloat, coffee farmers need to be organised which is why a group of coffee farmers in El Salvador have joined forces to form the Siglo XXI Cooperative, which in 2005 achieved Fairtrade certification.

"This land belonged to my grandparents, then to my parents and I've fought hard not to lose it, but when the coffee prices dropped, it became very difficult to survive. It was all I could do to keep the place free from weeds, I didn't even have enough money for fertilisers. Now we've been certified, I've been able to increase my income as I'm guaranteed a fair price for my coffee.

The most innovative thing in my hectare and a half of coffee is the chicken farm, where my whole family help out with caring for the birds. All 50 chickens are 5 weeks old and I've already sold the first ones and made a healthy profit. The experts taught us how to care for the chickens and also how to plant other trees such as citrus and bananas, this way I can sell the fruit to make additional income. Everything I earn from this, I invest back into maintaining the coffee farm, so I don't waste anything. Recently I planted 40 cocoa trees, to see what they can produce.

My ancestors taught me traditional methods such as how to protect the land with natural barriers such as "Izote” grass and the project experts have shown me modern techniques.

During the coffee growing season I can now afford to hire a team of 10 coffee pickers thanks to the Cooperative and my family also helps with the harvest. My family and I live in a house right next to the Plantation and I have lived my whole life here. My land is not only very important to me and my family but it is also important for El Salvador, as they are the only forests we have left.”