A message of solidarity with the people of Colombia

Amsterdam, 11 August 2026 – The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) expresses its deepest solidarity with the Government and people of Colombia following the devastating earthquake that struck western Colombia on 10 August 2026.

Our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones, those who have been injured, and the families whose homes, livelihoods and communities have been affected. The CFC also recognizes the courage and dedication of rescue teams, first responders and local communities working tirelessly to save lives and support those in need.

The CFC’s solidarity extends especially to the smallholder coffee farmers and rural enterprises of the Eje Cafetero, the heartland of Colombia’s world-renowned coffee sector.

For the smallholder coffee farmers and rural enterprises of this region, this tragedy comes at an already precarious moment. Colombian coffee producers have been grappling with severe price volatility throughout 2026, with internal coffee prices dropping as much as 26.8% and farmers facing income declines of up to 40%. The peso's appreciation has further eroded already thin margins, with the exchange rate effect alone causing losses of between 400,000 and 550,000 pesos per carga—a reduction of nearly 17% of their income. Combined with unusual rainfall, climate volatility, and declining production—which fell 28.3% in the first four months of 2026—coffee-growing communities were already under extraordinary strain before this earthquake struck.

The earthquake has compounded these pressures, leaving affected communities confronting both an immediate humanitarian emergency and a profound threat to the livelihoods on which families and rural economies depend.

This tragedy underscores the importance of humanizing commodity value chains. Behind every bean, grain and harvest are people, families and communities whose well-being is closely connected to the markets they serve. More equitable, transparent and resilient value chains—built around the dignity and livelihoods of producers—can provide an essential buffer when communities face economic, climatic or natural shocks.

Colombia’s coffee producers have demonstrated extraordinary resilience through many difficult periods. But resilience cannot be expected to carry communities through crises alone. It must be matched by solidarity, support and concrete action.

As an organization mandated to support smallholder farmers and SMEs in commodity-dependent communities, the CFC reaffirms its commitment to stand with Colombia’s rural producers during this difficult time. The CFC stands ready to explore how it can contribute to recovery and rebuilding efforts, particularly for communities that form the backbone of Colombia’s coffee and other commodity sectors, while helping strengthen the value chains that connect them to markets around the world.

We join the international community in expressing our unwavering support for the people of Colombia—today, in the challenging days ahead, and throughout the long road to recovery. 

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¹ Information on the earthquake and its impact drawn from official Colombian government sources and international media reports, 10 August 2026. Context on the challenges facing coffee producers based on reports from the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC) and other sector sources, 2026.