About This Coffee
Today, members of the Bukonzo Joint Cooperative Union are proud to name their coffee “Owemba” from the Lhukonzo word used to describe something outstanding.
The Rwenzori Mountains have excellent coffee growing conditions. However, the remoteness of the region has meant that farmers were typically unable to capitalize on the climate. Farms in the region are usually under 1 hectare and historically, nearly all farmers in the region produced Ugandan DRUGAR, a natural coffee typically dried on patios at producers’ homes. Due to the perception that Ugandan DRUGAR was low quality coffee and their remoteness from trading center or ports, meant that farmers typically received extremely low prices for their coffee.
Enter Bukunzo Joint Cooperative Union. United since 1999, farmers purchased and installed micro-washing mills that allowed producers to process Fully washed coffee for the first time. Knowing that high quality coffee takes not only the right tools, but also, extensive knowledge, the cooperative invested in training on proper harvesting and processing techniques.
Cultivation
Cooperative members use climate-smart agriculture to prevent erosion, maintain important nutrients and keep water sources safe.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Farmers bring their selectively handpicked cherry to their community micro-washing station. Once processed, the parchment is delivered to a centralized dry mill that includes hulling, sorting and storage facilities.
About Bukonzo Join Cooperative Union
Bukonzo members have Fairtrade Organic certifications and receive price premiums that they use to improve their own lives and their communities. Bukonzo members decided to utilize their social premiums to add health services for pregnant mothers to their community clinic to help minimize deaths in childbirth that are preventable.
The cooperative union has also been a force for social good. 83% of members are women and the cooperative has done extensive community training on gender inequality. Today, Bukonzo oftens serves as a mentor for other East African cooperatives seeking to do similar work.
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.