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  • Through an agreement with the Ministry of Labor, the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) teaches farmers to prevent and reduce occupational risks associated with coffee production and harvesting.


As part of its mission to ensure coffee growers’ well-being, the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) subscribed, for the second year in a row, an agreement with Colombia’s Ministry of Labor to teach farmers to prevent and reduce occupational risks in their coffee production and harvesting activities.

The program received an investment of about US$ 520,000, allocated by the Ministry and the FNC as implementer, and reaches about 3,000 coffee growers in 15 departments.

Through training, workshops, inspection visits and delivery of personal protection equipment, beneficiaries learn to prevent and minimize occupational risks they are exposed to in daily work.

Beneficiaries are also trained on specific occupational coffee farming risks and attend workshops that encourage forming community organizations. Through field activities, they put into practice what they learn in the workshops.

Among the personal protection equipment that the beneficiaries receive are caps (for sunlight), safety glasses, face masks, leather and nylon gloves reinforced with nitrile, ear protectors, a cane to prevent falls and, in some cases, a protection kit to handle chemical products.

“Continuing this project confirms the FNC’s implementation effectiveness and commitment to well-being of coffee growers. Thanks to last year’s results, the Ministry welcomed the continuation of the program and didn’t hesitate to allocate new resources for this year’s work,” said José Humberto Devia, the FNC Health Services Coordinator.

“It is a program of great impact for coffee growers, as they acknowledge, because it raises awareness of occupational risks to which they are exposed and which can lead to incapacity, disability or physical impairment,” he adds.

Among the main occupational risks for this coffee-growing population are musculoskeletal injuries (twisting, sprains, dislocations, fractures) because of forced positions, repetitive movements, falls, and lifting of heavy loads.

There are also wounds or even amputations because of tools such as mowing machines, machetes, mattocks and shovels (lacking maintenance), insect stings, and snake and dog bites.