EP1675 Part 5 of 5 | What Colombia’s Coffee Industry Needs Now (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 5 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 final episode, the conversation turns to the longer-term consequences of the earthquake and what the global coffee industry can do to help.
Angel explains that recovery will depend heavily on access to resources. Larger cities and businesses may be able to rebuild more quickly, while smaller towns and rural communities could struggle for much longer. Ana points out that unlike the 1999 Armenia earthquake, this disaster has affected many different cities and departments at once, making it much harder to concentrate reconstruction efforts.
The long-term impact is not only financial.
Ana explains that women in coffee are already asking for mental-health support as they deal with trauma, aftershocks, family responsibilities and the pressure of rebuilding businesses and communities.
When asked what the international coffee industry can do, both Ana and Angel give a clear answer: keep doing business with Colombia.
Continue buying Colombian coffee. Maintain relationships with producers and exporters. Be flexible when small delays happen. Keep talking about what has happened. And if you were planning to visit Colombia, don’t automatically cancel.
Angel also warns that buyers may be tempted to switch origins if Colombian coffee remains more expensive than alternatives. But abandoning established relationships during a difficult year could deepen the economic damage for producers already trying to rebuild.
The episode closes with a broader conversation about the future of coffee farming, generational change, the need for stronger commercial relationships, and why supporting farmers means investing in the future of the coffee industry itself.
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/