Honduras Las Mariposas

The Farm

Situated in the Masaguara municipality to the West of Honduras, Finca Las Mariposas is a beautiful farm nestled high in the Honduran hills. After Gloria Masariegos Amaya purchased the plot of land in 2008, she decided to name her farm Finca Las Mariposas, or the butterflies farm, after the spectacular butterflies she saw across her land.

Coffee in Honduras

Coffee is an important commodity in Honduras and for many, helped prevent bankruptcy during the financial crisis in 2009. In 1970, the country created the Instituto Hondureño del Cafe (IHCAFE), to help improve and maintain the infrastructure behind coffee production and exportation. This included the initiation of research centers to discover more resistant varieties and develop hybrids whilst testing new agricultural technologies. IHCAFE also provided support for producers to gain access to more premium markets by improving quality and yields.

A significant portion (70%) of producers in Honduras are considered smallholders, growing coffee on land less than 2 hectares. The past few decades have seen increased support towards these smallholders, with resources provided by IHCAFE to improve agricultural and connect producers with international markets.

Owner Gloria Masariegos Amaya

A single mother, Gloria has not only managed to single headedly raise her four children, but she has also worked diligently to earn funds for the farm. After purchasing the already cultivated plot in 2008, Gloria has depended on Finca Las Mariposas as her primary source of income. Because of this, Gloria has put a lot of her love and hard work into the farm: improving yields and quality.

During the harvest, coffee is carefully handpicked and sent to be pulped the same day via machine. Gloria and her six family members are the only workers on the farm and must be efficient to ensure quality. From here, the coffee is placed into large vessels of water to ferment. Here, the beans will remain for 30-35 hours to break down the sugars and remove the remaining mucilage. As soon as this step is complete, the coffee is evenly dispersed onto raised beds to dry for another 18-20 days in the open sun. Upon attaining the correct moisture content, the coffee is moved and trucked to the mill, one hour away, where it will be hulled and rested prior to export.

As well as continuing to support her children in their studies, Gloria’s plans for Finca Las Mariposas include one day building her own solar dryers, decreasing the cost of production and improving overall quality.