About This Coffee
Ngamba has long been renowned in Rwanda for producing exceptional specialty coffees. The Coffee Washing Station (CWS) was recognized as “Best of the Best” at the 2025 Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award in Rome, a competition that evaluates top lots from leading producers worldwide. The award highlights Ngamba as one of the highest-performing quality stations globally, both for green coffee quality and for consistency across lots submitted to the competition.
The recognition strengthens Rwanda’s positioning as a producer of high-end Fully washed coffees and underscores the role of Rwacof’s team commitment to quality and teamwork.
Rwacof began operations at Ngamba in 2013. As of 2025, around 1,555 farmers deliver cherries to the CWS from surrounding farms in Kamonyi District, Southern Province, Rwanda. Rwacof provides training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and sustainable land management. Ngamba farmers are also Rainforest Alliance and C.A.F.E. Practices certified.
At 1,595 meters above sea level, Ngamba’s region is characterized by rolling hills, with a moderate tropical climate perfect for growing and processing high quality coffee.
In addition to investments in farmer training, the CWS is home to a number of sustainability and community engagement initiatives, including the reduction and removal of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, sustainable livelihood development, the establishment of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and gender and financial literacy education. Projects also include support of the Ituze cooperative, all of whose members live with HIV. The project aims to strengthen the cooperative members’ livelihoods, health status, and economic resilience. Planned project activities included training (Regenerative Agriculture, Nutrition, Sexual and Reproductive Health), the purchase of land to expand coffee production, the establishment and investment of VSLAs to increase lending capacity, the provision of livestock to improve access to agricultural inputs and cash income, as well as mushroom cultivation to enhance the nutritional status of Ituze members. Many other projects have invested in capacity building for women and youth.
Last but not least, Nbamba won the Rwanda Cup of Excellence in 2011.
Cultivation
Farmers delivering to Ngamba CWS are Rainforest Alliance and C.A.F.E. Practices certified, meaning that they cultivate coffee using practices that help preserve biodiversity and area under forest.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Ripe, red cherry is selectively handpicked and delivered to Ngamba washing station. At intake, specially trained staff float cherry to remove underripes and then visually inspect cherry and remove any defects. Cherry is pulped and fermented for 10 to 12 hours in fermentation tanks. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and laid on raised beds to dry. Workers rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying and visually inspect parchment to remove any damaged beans. It takes approximately 21 to 30 days for parchment to dry.
RWACOF (Sucafina in Rwanda)
In concert with our sustainability partner, Kahawatu Foundation, RWACOF invests heavily in yield improvements, farmer training, quality improvement projects, environmental sustainability and other ways to increase farmer livelihoods.
RWACOF’s Farmer Development Program in partnership with the London School of Economics (LSE) supports farmers with training in Good Agricultural Practices and access to loans, farm inputs and farm services. A new soil health initiative uses soil analysis data that RWACOF collected to identify farms where soil is too acidic. Lime, along with education about application, is distributed to these farmers to help improve soil quality. Additionally, seedling nurseries provide up to 4 million seedlings per year to help farmers renovate their rootstock.
RWACOF also has many projects that are designed to support farmers’ overall livelihoods. They focus on gender equality and support several women’s cooperatives by helping them access land, seedlings and reach a market for their coffees. They offer trainings on financial literacy and alternative income-generating activities.
On the environmental side, RWACOF has worked with partners to help install solar panels at 2 washing stations that are off the electrical grid. RWACOF’s dry mill already have a 50 kilowatt-per-hour solar panel set up on their roof. They’ve also mapped carbon emissions in their coffee supply chain and are starting projects to half their emissions per kg of coffee. Two ways they’re accomplishing this is by facilitating a transition from inorganic to organic fertilizer and further improve waste (water and pulp) management at the wet mills. They’re also working with Trade in Space to map deforestation in the supply chain so that they can begin to work with farmers to reduce deforestation and improve forested areas in the supply chain.
Above all, RWACOF's exceptional attention to detail during post-harvest activities ensures the best quality coffee possible. From the moment cherry enters the washing station until it is milled and bagged for export, RWACOF keeps stringent quality controls in place. They know, as we do, that high-quality coffee is crucial for delivering benefit all along the supply chain.
Coffee in Rwanda
Despite its turbulent history, today Rwanda is one of the specialty coffee world’s darlings – for good reason! Our sister company in Rwanda does an amazing job of bringing the best that Rwanda has to offer to roasters around the world.
German missionaries and settlers brought coffee to Rwanda in the early 1900s. Largescale coffee production was established during the 1930 & 1940s by the Belgian colonial government. Coffee production continued after the Belgian colonists left. By 1970, coffee had become the single largest export in Rwanda and accounted for 70% of total export revenue. Coffee was considered so valuable that, beginning in 1973, it was illegal to tear coffee trees out of the ground.
Between 1989 and 1993, the breakdown of the International Coffee Agreement (ICA) caused the global price to plummet. The Rwandan government and economy took a hard hit from low global coffee prices. The 1994 genocide and its aftermath led to a complete collapse of coffee exports and vital USD revenue, but the incredible resilience of the Rwandan people is evident in the way the economy and stability have recovered since then.
Modern Rwanda is considered one of the most stable countries in the region. Since 2003, its economy has grown by 7-8% per year and coffee production has played a key role in this economic growth. Coffee has also played a role in Rwanda's significant advancements towards gender equality. New initiatives that cater to women and focus on helping them equip themselves with the tools and knowledge for farming have been changing the way women view themselves and interact with the world around them.
Today, smallholders propel the industry in Rwanda forward. The country doesn’t have any large estates. Most coffee is grown by the 400,000+ smallholders, who own less than a quarter of a hectare. The majority of Rwanda’s coffee production is Arabica. Bourbon variety plants comprise 95% of all coffee trees cultivated in Rwanda.