First Harvest of Improved Robusta Coffee: A Milestone for the Ngäbe Buglé Region

Partner: Nuestra Señora del Camino, Panamá

The Nuestra Señora del Camino Foundation (FUNDACAMINO) proudly celebrated the first harvest of improved robusta coffee in the Ngäbe Buglé region—a historic achievement that marks a new path forward for more than 50 farming families.

Thanks to this initiative, developed in collaboration with the Chi Mutu Dobo, Bondubdi, and Nubi cooperatives, producers have not only improved their incomes and quality of life, but also strengthened community bonds through technical training, cooperative work, and economic empowerment.

The harvest event featured a heartfelt cultural exchange, farm tours, and testimonies that highlighted the project’s deep impact:

“We used to think that migration was our only way out, but now we have a future here. My children can dream of something better.”
– Paco Tugrí, farmer from Cerro Ortiga

“They told us women couldn’t get ahead. With seven children and this project, I know the future is in our hands.”
– Eugenia Carpintero, farmer from Salto Dupí

Since 2005, FUNDACAMINO has promoted holistic development in Indigenous communities across the Ngäbe Buglé region and eastern Chiriquí, working in areas such as agriculture, education, maternal health, elder care, and economic empowerment.

This first coffee harvest is more than a crop—it is a symbol of hope, autonomy, and a sustainable model that breaks cycles of poverty and migration, building opportunity from the ground up.