CHALLENGES AND MANAGERIAL STRATEGIES OF COFFEE COOPERATIVES FROM THE HUATUSCO REGION IN MEXICO: A LEADERS' PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Coffee cooperatives from the Huatusco region in Mexico have played an important role in helping coffee farmers in this region maintain economic viability in the midst of Mexico’s economic crisis and the international crisis of the coffee sector over time. While these types of organizations have played an important role, not all of these organizations have survived over time. Using information from interviews with leaders of five longeval coffee producer cooperatives in the Huatusco coffee region, this study tries to identify factors that could explain the longevity and long-term sustainability of these organizations. Additionally, using information from these interviews, we evaluate challenges that could put at risk the long-term sustainability of these associations and strategies to overcome these challenges from the cooperative’s leadership perspective. Findings from this study suggest the motivations behind the creation of these producer associations that goes beyond accessing government resources, an institutional structure where there is a democratic process behind the election of leaders, leadership positions have a definite term, and association strategies to increase member engagement could explain the longevity of these organization. Regarding challenges the cooperatives would be facing in the future, the aging population of growers is perceived by cooperative leaders as one of the major challenges they will be facing in the future. Increasing youth involvement in the cooperatives through training and educational activities was perceived by cooperative leaders as a strategy to overcome this challenge.