About This Coffee
Nyabubare washing station was established in 2021 and began operations in 2022. Nestled in the picturesque Bushenyi district, Nyabubare station serves as a vital hub, providing an array of essential services to local farmers in the surrounding area. With its farmer-oriented approach and strategic location in the heart of this fast-growing coffee-producing region, this exceptional facility offers farmers a premium market for their coffee and increases their access to improved opportunities and a sustainable future.
Nyabubare is committed to empowering farmers and enhancing the quality of their coffee. By bridging the gap between farmers and the market, the station and Sucafina in Uganda facilitate direct trade relationships.
Nyabubare station helps equip farmers with the necessary knowledge and resources to cultivate exceptional coffee. They organize comprehensive training sessions on Good Agricultural Practices. These trainings cover various aspects of coffee cultivation from planting and harvesting techniques to post-harvest processing methods. By sharing best practices, Nyabubare station empowers farmers to optimize their yields and produce high-quality coffee for processing.
In addition to training, Nyabubare also provides vital support to our community through the distribution of fertilizers and loans. By providing affordable fertilizers, Nyabubare partners with farmers to enhance soil fertility and yield bountiful crops. Farmers and the surrounding community can also access loans to invest in their coffee farms and secure a prosperous future for themselves and their families.
Purchases of this lot also contribute towards our IMPACT responsible sourcing goals by equipping IMPACT verified smallholder coffee farmers delivering to IMPACT verified farmers delivering to Katerera Coffee Washing Station (CWS) in Uganda with essential farming tools and practical support. By providing tool kits that include hoes, spades and pruning saws, this initiative tackles a key barrier to productivity – limited access to essential farm equipment.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
During harvest, cherry is picked by smallholder famers and delivered to Nyabubare CWS where it undergoes through a strict sorting process. First, washing station staff remove any lower quality cherry through flotation. Then, a specially trained staff visually inspects the remaining cherry for any visual defects.
After intake, cherry is pulped and coffee is placed in fermentation tanks. Oro yeast purchased from the French company Lalcafe is first rehydrated, then added on wet parchment with water. The tanks are left to ferment in this environment for approximately 40-46 hours before being washed with Eco-washer to remove any remaining mucilage. Parchment is laid on raised beds to sundry. Workers visually hand sort drying parchment to remove any damaged or defective beans. They also rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 18 to 22 days for parchment to dry.
Coffee in Uganda
Uganda is the native home to one species of Robusta, and commercial coffee production in the country goes back to the beginning of the 20th century.
Our partner, UGACOF/Sucafina Uganda is committed to improving quality in Uganda by building new washing stations and infrastructure and training personnel in the region. Collaborations with our FarmerHub program and our sustainability partner, the Kahawatu Foundation, are building upon our work to expand farmers’ access to better resources and better training. Our connections to our more established operations in nearby Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya offer us advice and a perspective steeped in a familiarity with East Africa.
The bulk of our work in Uganda is focused in the West, near the Rwenzori Mountains. The biggest difference between East (Mount Elgon) and West (Rwenzori) is that Mount Elgon is a more established and competitive market. We are excited to be at the forefront of the drive for enhancing coffee production infrastructure, developing the industry and becoming reliable partners for farmers in the Rwenzori Mountain region.
It is clear to us that the potential in this region might exceed our expectations and even the potential of the popular Mount Elgon region. With an ever-growing demand for high quality Arabicas and a sustained interest from roasters and coffee drinkers in the East African origins, we are very confident that, with diligence and effort, Western Ugandan coffees will be able to take their place alongside the other great East African coffees.