Innovation in Inzá, Cauca

Pergamino’s relationship with Inzá began more than a decade ago through the Pillimué family, evolving into one of its most successful “allied producer” programs. This alliance links fair, stable prices for quality coffee to rural development, helping build a stronger rural middle class and improving quality of life in the community.

Pergamino’s biofactory in Inzá, Cauca is a community-run plant that produces affordable organic fertilizers, biopesticides, bio-fungicides and bio-herbicides tailored to local farming needs. It is the result of a long-term alliance between Pergamino and local producers who share a commitment to sustainable agriculture and high-quality coffee. These inputs are difficult and time-consuming to produce on each individual farm, so centralizing production allows farmers to improve soil health, reduce chemical use, and access what they need more easily and consistently.

Funding for the construction and initial inputs came from international roasters who buy coffee from Inzá via Pergamino, effectively reinvesting value from the coffee chain back into the territory. The plant operates on a cost‑recovery model, selling products to farmers at cost rather than for profit so the project can be financially sustainable while remaining accessible.

The biofactory is managed in close collaboration with leading producer families such as the Pillimués, who have been key promoters of organic farming in the area. Around 80 fully organic certified producers, along with dozens more who are transitioning or partially organic, participate and benefit from the project.

Local leaders and technicians organise workshops to teach farmers how to use organic inputs effectively and how to recycle farm by‑products into biofertilisers. This community‑based approach turns the plant into a training hub, where knowledge about soil biology, composting and regenerative practices is shared peer‑to‑peer.

​The environmental and agronomic benefits are plentiful: by replacing or significantly reducing synthetic fertilisers and agrochemicals, the bio factory helps protect local water sources and biodiversity in a region that is a major watershed for Colombia. Organic inputs improve soil structure and microbial life, leading to healthier plants, better resilience to pests and diseases, and more stable yields over time.

​Because the inputs are designed for coffee‑based agroecosystems in Inzá’s specific climate and soils, farmers can fine‑tune nutrition and pest management instead of relying on generic chemical products. This tailored approach supports consistent quality in the cup, which is critical for maintaining specialty premiums in international markets.

For many families in Inzá, coffee is the main source of income, paying for tools, vehicles and children’s education. When better agronomy and organic practices translate into higher quality, farmers can access better prices and bonuses from Pergamino and its roasting partners.

​By making sustainable inputs affordable and accessible, the bio factory reduces farmers’ dependence on expensive imported agrochemicals and increases their autonomy. Combined with long‑term buying relationships and quality premiums, this project helps build more stable farm businesses and supports the broader goal of a resilient rural middle class in Colombia’s coffee lands.