Eight farming families in Valle del Cauca received the international quality certification recognizing them as protectors of the Andean Bear in Colombia

• The families live in El Águila, a municipality in Valle del Cauca, and are part of the Conservamos la Vida program.
• Their coffee has been awarded the Certified Andean Bear Friendly seal, an international recognition that validates the producers’ efforts in preserving the habitat and promoting harmonious coexistence between communities and wildlife.
• Conservamos la Vida is a project led by Grupo Argos Foundation, in partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Parques Nacionales Naturales, Corporación Autónoma Regional del Valle del Cauca, and Smurfit Kappa. Its goal is to protect and ensure the long-term conservation of Andean bear populations in Colombia.

As a recognition of the efforts made by eight families in Valle del Cauca to contribute to the preservation of the Andean Bear and promote a harmonious coexistence with this emblematic species, the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network has awarded the Andean Bear Friendly certification to the coffee production processes carried out through the Conservamos la Vida program. This marks the first agricultural product in South America to be recognized as friendly to the Andean Bear.

Café Oso Andino is a social innovation project built upon conservation agreements signed by farming families committed to dedicating part of their land to the protection and reinforcement of a biological corridor, allowing the Andean Bear to roam freely. In return, families receive tools and guidance to enhance their coffee production and commercialization, providing additional income and improving their quality of life.

This initiative has strengthened a biological corridor that enables the movement of the Andean Bear, leading to an increase in occupancy rates from 52% to 76% in the National Natural Parks located in Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Chocó, and Risaralda.

“The Certified Andean Bear Friendly certification is a recognition of the families who have worked with us in Valle del Cauca, understanding the role of this species in conserving ecosystems that ensure water supply and climate stability for both rural and urban communities.”

María Camila Villegas, Executive Director,
Grupo Argos Foundation

For more than a decade, Grupo Argos Foundation has led conservation initiatives that have enabled the protection of approximately 7,800 hectares of strategic ecosystems in Colombia, contributing to the creation of biological corridors that connect forest fragments and facilitate the safe movement of the Andean Bear.

Among its key actions are:

• Monitoring Andean Bear populations using camera traps.
• Restoring degraded areas through the planting of more than 17,000 native trees.
• Developing environmental education programs with local communities.

About the Certification

In 2022, specialized institutions such as WCS, ProCAT Colombia, the Andean Carnivore Conservation Plan (Bolivia), and Chester Zoo (UK) collaborated to develop the Andean Bear Friendly standards for livestock farming, beekeeping, and coffee cultivation. These standards were consolidated and approved in 2024 by the U.S.-based certification company Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network.

This recognition will enable coffee-producing families to access international export markets and secure better prices for their coffee harvests.