Rwanda Income Diversification Project – 2025/26 Update

For many coffee-farming households in Rwanda, coffee is the main source of annual income. However, small farms, aging trees and limited access to finance can make it difficult for families to meet their needs through coffee alone. 

In 2025/26, as part of our ongoing efforts in Rwanda towards our IMPACT goal of Living Income, our team supported Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) members at Muhura CWS by providing goats, which supply organic manure for coffee farms while also creating an additional source of income through breeding and sales. By combining livestock support with the VSLA model, the project aims to improve soil health, strengthen household resilience and support more sustainable coffee production.

Livestock help bridge the living income gap significantly, particularly in the current coffee landscape in Rwanda, where maintaining coffee productivity and soil fertility has become increasingly challenging following the reduction of government support for inorganic fertilizers. Goats are relatively easy to care for and provide benefits both on and off the farm: manure can serve as organic fertilizer for healthier soils and more productive coffee trees, while milk and meat can improve family nutrition or generate additional income. 

Through Beyond Flagship, the initiative gives farming families access to livestock as a productive asset rather than a short-term gift. It also creates a livestock solidarity chain, where animals’ offspring are passed on to other households in the group so more families benefit over time.

In 2025/26, the project distributed livestock at Muhura Coffee Washing Station, with local authorities, veterinary services and community leaders involved in the process. A dedicated sustainability premium was built into contributing coffee contracts, creating a clear link between coffee purchases and on-the-ground impact. 

Project Impact in 2025/2026

Through premiums attached to select microlots in 2025/26 Sucafina teams globally raised nearly $3,000 for the project. With these funds, our sustainability team was able to distribute livestock to 30 VSLA members in the first cycle, with a remaining 30 members benefiting through the structured pass‑on system after the first offspring. A total of 209 household members will experience improved livelihoods through diversified income, reduced production costs and improved farm resilience.

Participating members will be trained in climate‑smart goat rearing practices, animal health and hygiene, construction of simple shelters and compost production. Training will emphasize effective manure management, compost application and soil restoration practices to improve soil organic matter and long‑term coffee productivity.

Additional income from goat reproduction and sales will strengthen household economic stability and adaptive capacity.

Next Steps
The Rwanda Coffee Productivity and Income Diversification project is ongoing. New activities and program components will be raised as we continue strengthening farmer resilience through Beyond Flagship. 

About Beyond Flagship Projects
Beyond Flagship Projects are initiatives linked to IMPACT-verified farmer groups within Sucafina’s direct supply chains. They give partners a flexible way to support IMPACT goals, create measurable impact and drive meaningful change through origin-specific investment.

Investments are made through a premium and do not need to be tied directly to coffee produced by participating farmers. Instead, support is origin-specific. In Burundi, purchases of contributing coffees help fund projects like this livestock initiative, expanding impact and supporting more resilient coffee-farming communities.