EP1673 Part 3 of 5 | How Colombia’s Earthquake Is Hitting the Coffee Industry (Ana Donneys + Angel Barrera) Map It Forward
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Episode Description
PLEASE SUPPORT EARTHQUAKE RELIEF IN COLOMBIA
Zona J Foundation / IWCA support initiative:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/zonajnet
Colombian Red Cross - Emergency Colombia Earthquake: https://ayuda.cruzrojacolombiana.org/emergencia-colombia-terremoto#afrus-container
This is episode 3 of a 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar, examining the impact of the August 10, 2026 earthquakes in Colombia with Ana Maria Donneys of Cafe Primitivo and Angel Barrera of Belco.
In this episode, the conversation turns to what the earthquake means for Colombia’s coffee industry on the ground.
Ana explains why recovery will take time. Farms and businesses that were focused on harvest preparation, production and normal operations suddenly had to redirect money, labour and attention toward urgent needs, repairs and reconstruction.
For many coffee producers, the most important priority is not rebuilding their homes first. It is restoring the infrastructure that allows them to process and sell coffee.
Ana describes producers using temporary coverings on damaged homes while prioritising wet mills, drying areas and washing stations because without those facilities they cannot generate the income needed to rebuild.
Angel explains that this disruption is arriving at an especially difficult moment. Colombia was already preparing for a potentially severe El Niño, with concerns around drought, water rationing and electricity shortages. Now the earthquake has added damaged farms, homes, mills, roads and infrastructure to that risk.
The effects are also logistical. Buenaventura was closed for approximately a week following damage, some roads were disrupted, and trucks normally used to move coffee have been redirected to carry humanitarian aid into affected regions.
Meanwhile, El Niño is beginning to bring hotter conditions and fires in parts of Colombia, creating another potential challenge just as the next harvest approaches.
The message from this episode is clear: Colombia’s coffee industry cannot simply stop while communities rebuild. Producers need functioning businesses, reliable buyers and timely payments if recovery is going to be sustainable.
Connect with Angel Barrera and Belco:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angel-barrera-8a0b2236/
https://www.instagram.com/koliafobiano/
https://www.instagram.com/belco.coffee/
Connect with Ana Maria Donneys and Cafe Primitivo:
https://www.instagram.com/cafeprimitivo/
https://www.instagram.com/anadonneys/