Coffee crusaders brew together, promote coffee consumption
BENGALURU: Sisterhood signifies the strength of what women can achieve when they are together. Stories of sisterhood have always been etched in golden letters in history. The hill town of Sakleshpur has one such association that has been brewing strong coffee not just across Karnataka but also the whole of India. It is the Women’s Coffee Promotion Council, an association of women coffee planters in Sakleshpur. This 280-member community has taken up the cause of promoting coffee consumption especially in areas where the beverage is rarely consumed.
These women travel distances to sell the product they love. “We go to metros like Mumbai, New Delhi and towns in North Karnataka to conduct events that familiarize people with the process of production of coffee, as well as the varieties of it,” says Geetha Suresh, president of the association.
Their experiences are vivid. While in some places, they are welcome d by coffee lovers, these women also encounter those who have not had coffee even once in their lifetime. It was shocking for us to know that some areas in our very own north Karnataka did not even know about coffee, so we had to start with teaching them about the procedure to make coffee . We had to sell them the filters too as it was not available there,” she adds.
Many a time, it is no less than an uphill task for these women to explain what goes into making the cuppa great. “The same was the case with some north Indian towns . They were used to tea, so we took extra effort in informing people about the quality and grades of coffee in order to make them appreciate the greatness of coffee,” she says. The team also visits coffee plantations across India to study coffee growing techniques.The organization sprouted 18 years ago when coffee farming was at its worst .
“It started in 2001 . We were at the time hit by multiple issue s. First , there was severe dr ought, then the prices started nose diving . It was a bad time for us . We were not even able to pay our worker s. There were widespread protests, and there were criticisms among the menfolk that we women were not reacting, that we were not making any effort .That is when H R Prasanna of Coffee B oard told us about the possibility of a self-help group . So we started the council with recognition from the Coffee B oard , ” r ecalls Asha Shashidar, the founding president of the council.
“Thereafter our days were eventful . We travelled the whole of Karnataka for events like the Sahitya Sammelana and Rotary exhibitions . We even tried convincing hotels, we had to sell our coffee for a bare minimum price, as most of them were reluctant to even try in the first place . Also we taught people the method to make hot and cold coffee to appease children , ” she says.
The organization does not restrict its activities to the promotion of coffee . It is also dedicated to many humanitarian efforts, “We identify academically competent students from among our labo u rers and fund their education , ” adds Asha . They are also actively involved in the c o nservation of nature, especially water bodies.All the members of this association are coffee growers and are renowned in their own capacities . Geetha Suresh, the president of the association , is a recipient of the Pragathi Para Krishikara Mahile award of 2017 from the government of Karnataka and members, Roopa Jagadev, Sumathi Basavaraj and Roopalatha are part of the prestigious International Women’s Coffee Alliance as well.
“I manage my 90-acre farm by myself . For a woman like me, this organization has been a huge support,” explains Roopa Jagadev, treasurer of the Women’s Coffee Promotion Council.The association also sells coffee under the brand 7 to 7.
BUSTING MYTHS
From upset stomach to health concerns, these women are on a mission to also bust myths about the drink. “Many people spoke about coffee being bad for the stomach, but the original coffee doesn’t give you an upset stomach . It is the blended ones that are sold in the market with chicory that give you one. So we had to convince them about it and we told them about the grades of coffee and its varieties , ” says Asha Shashidar, the founding president of the council.