Sol de la Mañana program
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The Sol de la Mañana program is a producer-mentoring initiative in Bolivia established by the Rodríguez family of Agricafe to revitalize the country's coffee industry. By providing smallholder farmers with technical training and modern agricultural practices, the program significantly increases crop yields and coffee quality, transforming coffee farming from a subsistence activity into a sustainable, profitable livelihood.
The Sol de la Mañana program, which translates to 'Morning Sun,' was founded in 2014 by the Rodríguez family—Pedro, Daniela, and Pedro Pablo—who operate the exporting company Agricafe and the 'Fincas Los Rodríguez' farm project. The initiative emerged as a direct response to the decline of Bolivian coffee production, which threatened the livelihoods of local farmers and the future of the country's coffee culture. When 15 neighboring producers approached the family for assistance, the Rodríguez family recognized a responsibility to share their expertise to prevent the industry from disappearing.
Functioning as a school for producers, the program focuses on reversing the trend of low productivity. At the program's inception, many participating farmers were producing only 2–4 bags of coffee per hectare, a yield insufficient for a livable income. Through rigorous training in modern farming techniques, farm planning, and quality control, the program has enabled participants to increase their production to over 20 bags per hectare, with some farmers reaching up to 25 bags.
The program is deeply rooted in the success of the Rodríguez family's own 'model farms,' such as La Linda. By applying the same high-quality standards and technical rigor used on their own 12 farms in Caranavi and Samaipata to the smallholder plots, the family provides a practical, proven roadmap for success. This mentorship covers every aspect of the coffee lifecycle, from tree health and soil management to harvesting and post-harvest processing.
Centralized processing plays a vital role in the program's success. Coffee cherries from participating farms are collected daily and delivered to the Agricafe mill in Caranavi. This centralized approach ensures that the coffee is sorted and processed under strict, professional conditions, which is essential for maintaining the high quality required for the specialty market. This infrastructure allows farmers to focus on cultivation while the mill handles the technical complexities of processing.
For the participating farmers, the program represents a shift toward long-term economic stability. By improving both the quantity and the quality of their harvest, producers can command better prices and build a more resilient business. The Rodríguez family further supports this by maintaining transparent relationships, ensuring that premiums paid for high-scoring coffees are passed directly back to the producers, which incentivizes continued investment in quality.
Today, the program has grown significantly, supporting approximately 100 producers across roughly 200 hectares of coffee land. It stands as a definitive example of how private-sector leadership and knowledge transfer can revitalize a struggling agricultural sector. By fostering a community of skilled, profitable farmers, Sol de la Mañana has become a cornerstone of the modern Bolivian specialty coffee industry, ensuring that the country remains a viable and respected origin on the global stage.