José Fernández Castro

Colombian inventor who revolutionized coffee cultivation in the Andes through his mechanical innovations

Engineer José Fernández Castro (1862-1935) transformed Colombia's coffee industry through his 1890s inventions that mechanized bean processing. His patented depulping machine reduced processing time by 75% while improving bean quality, enabling Colombia to become a global coffee leader. Born in the Andean town of Salento, Fernández Castro's early work in gold mining machinery gave him insights into adapting mechanical engineering to agricultural needs. His portable roasting systems made coffee production viable in remote mountain regions, while his cooperative model for machinery sharing among small farmers created economic equity. Fernández Castro's Revista Agrícola Colombiana journal spread his techniques across Latin America. His legacy is preserved in the Museo de la Innovación Cafetera, and his methods form the basis of modern coffee processing standards. His biography 《The Bean Revolution》 was published in 2020.