Earthquake in Colombia affected 11,000 coffee farmers in 120 municipalities.

The earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10th caused damage to approximately 11,000 coffee farmers in 120 municipalities across the departments of Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Caldas, Quindío, Antioquia, and Chocó. According to the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, entire farm structures were destroyed on the eve of the main harvest, one of the most important phases of the coffee calendar, guaranteeing income for families. The National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC) of Colombia – the main entity representing the sector – continues to coordinate relief efforts and seek to raise funds to assist producers. In this regard, the FNC launched the international campaign "Súmate a la causa" – "Join the cause," in a free translation – to mobilize aid for the affected families. In addition to the crucial harvest period, the earthquake occurred at a time of political definition for Colombian coffee farming: producers are preparing for new elections that will determine the next leadership of the FNC.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.