Colombian coffee farmers win campaign for a living wage, 2013

lang: en

Summary

In February and March 2013, about 40,000 Colombian coffee growers organized protests and road blockades to demand increased government subsidies guaranteeing a minimum price of $360 p er 125 - k i l o g r am s a c k o f co f f ee . T h ec am p ai g n, l e d b y t h e M o v e m e n t f or t h eD i g ni t y o f C o f f ee G r o w er s (M D C), f a ce d v i o l e n t r e p r ess i o n f r o m p o l i ce b u t g ain e d s u pp or t f r o mm er c han t s, c a c a o f a r m er s, in d i g e n o u s g r o u p s, an d o t h er s . A f t er 12 d a y s, t h e g o v er nm e n t a g r ee d t o p r o v i d e u pt o$ 80 per sack in subsidies and additional measures, totaling $450 mi l l i o nin p r i ces u pp or t s f or 2013. T h eco f f ee g r o w er s a c hi e v e d t h e i r g o a l o f in cr e a se d s u b s i d i es, t h o ug h t h e f ina l a g r ee m e n t f e l l s h or t o f t h e i r or i g ina l d e man df or a g u a r an t ee d minim u m p r i ceo f$ 360 per sack.

Background

In 2012, Colombian coffee prices fell 35% on the international market while the peso appreciated 10%, forcing growers to sell at a loss. Many growers found that the fund established by the National Federation of Coffee Growers (Federacafé) had been mismanaged and pillaged by corrupt officials, leaving them without support. The growers demanded increased government subsidies to guarantee a minimum price of $360 per 125-kilogram sack of coffee, which would provide a living wage. The target of the campaign was the Colombian government.

What happened

On 25 February 2013, about 40,000 coffee growers organized protests and road blockades in the departments of Antioquia, Huila, Risaralda, Quindio, and Tolima, demanding increased subsidies to guarantee a minimum price for their coffee [source: nv-database]. The Movement for the Dignity of Coffee Growers (MDC) led the campaign, with growers receiving $288 p er s a c k a tt h e t im e, w hi l e p r o d u c t i o n cos t sr an g e df r o m$ 360 to $387 [so u r ce : n v - d a t aba se] . P r o t es t er sse t u pt a r p s h e l t er s a t r o a d b l oc k s w h er e t h ey p r e p a r e df oo d an d s l e pt [so u r ce : n v - d a t aba se] . I n r es p o n se, P r es i d e n t J u an M an u e l S an t osse n t 15, 000 p o l i ce w h o u se d t e a r g a s an d p h y s i c a l f or ce, t e a r in g d o w n c am p s, d es t r oy in g f oo d, an d inj u r in g m or e t han f i f t y p eo pl e an d k i l l in g o n e [so u r ce : n v - d a t aba se] . O n t h e f i r s t d a y, man y m er c han t sc l ose d t h e i r s h o p s in so l i d a r i t y, an d l a t er c a c a o f a r m er s, w or k er s, in d i g e n o u s p eo pl e, an d b u s in ess p eo pl e p a r t i c i p a t e d in s u pp or t [so u r ce : n v - d a t aba se] . O n 1 M a r c h, in d i g e n o u sco mm u ni t i eso f N or t h er n C a u c a se t u p r o a d b l oc k a d es, s t a t in g t ha tt h e i ss u e w a s n o t j u s t co f f ee b u tt h ee n t i r e a g r i c u l t u r a l sec t or an d eco n o mi c m o d e l [so u r ce : n v - d a t aba se] . O n 2 M a r c h, t h e g o v er nm e n t o f f er e d a s u b s i d y in cr e a seo f$ 33 or $52 p er s a c k d e p e n d in g o n l an d s i z e, b u tt h ec am p ai g n er sr e j ec t e d i t an d co n t in u e d t h e i r s t r ik e [so u r ce : n v - d a t aba se] . T h e g o v er nm e n tt r i e d t o d i sor g ani z e t h ec am p ai g nb y f a l se l y ann o u n c in g n e g o t ia t i o n s w i t h F e d er a c a f \overset{e}{ˊ} an d b y a ssoc ia t in g s t r ik eor g ani z er s w i t h g u er i l l a g r o u p s, b u tt h esee f f or t s f ai l e d [so u r ce : n v - d a t aba se] . O n 7 M a r c h, t h e g o v er nm e n t a g r ee d t o p r o v i d e a s u b s i d y o f u pt o$ 80 per sack ( $0.29 p er p o u n d), t o t a l in g$ 450 million in price supports for 2013, and pledged additional measures for fertilization and loan payments [source: nv-database]. On 8 March, MDC leader Guillermo Gaviria Osorno announced the agreement, and the Colombian National Coffee Growers Federation confirmed that organizers called off the strike [source: nv-database].

Key people & organizations

El Movimiento por la Dignidad Cafetera (MDC)
Guillermo Gaviria Osorno
Diego Maradona
National Federation of Coffee Growers (Federacafé)
President Juan Manuel Santos

Tactics used

The campaign combined a farm workers’ strike with nonviolent obstruction (road blockades) to disrupt coffee production and trade, while building broad coalition support from merchants, indigenous groups, and other sectors to increase pressure on the government. [source: nv-database]

Outcome

Verdict: won.

The coffee growers succeeded in achieving their goal of increased subsidies, with the government committing $450 mi l l i o nin p r i ces u pp or t s f or 2013, t h o ug h t h e f ina l s u b s i d y o f u pt o$ 80 per sack fell short of the original demand for a guaranteed minimum price of $360 per sack. The campaign achieved 6 out of 6 points for success in specific demands, indicating a clear victory, and the broad support from other sectors highlighted the campaign’s impact on larger economic issues. [source: nv-database]

Lessons

Building broad coalitions with other affected sectors can amplify pressure on the target and frame the struggle as a systemic issue.
Sustained nonviolent direct action like road blockades can force negotiations even when facing violent repression.
A clear, unified demand for a living wage helps maintain focus and mobilize supporters.

Sources

Global Nonviolent Action Database — [[nv-database]]

Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.

Sources & verification

nv-database — grounding: primary — license: link-only
Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via worker_casestudies_v2.py

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