THE PARTNERSHIP FOR GENDER EQUITY LAUNCHES ITS NEXT “WAY FORWARD” REPORT ON GENERATIONS IN THE COFFEE VALUE CHAIN

The Partnership for Gender Equity (PGE) launched its second research initiative focused on equity in the coffee value chain, this timewith looking at generational constraints that especially impact youth. Entitled, The Way Forward: Engaging the Next Coffee Generation, the objective of the research is to better understand generational dynamics and youth disengagement in coffee production to inspire effective sector-wide collaboration that will enhance the well-being of coffee-farming families and communities around the globe.

In 2018, this work is critical. According to Panhuysen and Pierrot (2018), if growth in worldwide consumption continues to grow at the rate it did over the past five years, “the coffee sector will need 300 million bags of coffee by 2050, which means doubling or even tripling the current annual world production. The current system of coffee production will not be able to meet the increasing demand in the coming decades” (p. 10). Climate change is a huge threat to the ability of the coffee sector to adapt its system of production, but so too is the average age of farmers and youth migration from coffee communities. For the future of the industry and small-scale farming, it is critical to find ways to address youth disengagement from coffee farming.

To read more please click here and turn to page 18.

 

SUSTAINABILITY OF COFFEE: LOW COFFEE PRICES AND THE ROLE OF WOMEN – FOCUS OF DISCUSSIONS AND DECISIONS AT ICO COUNCIL

By the International Coffee Organisation

London, 21 September 2018 – The 122nd Session of the International Coffee Council concluded its deliberations today after a week of intense discussions and knowledge-sharing events that culminated in a strong message for the global coffee industry and policy makers. The decision of the Council provides a strong mandate for the International Coffee Organization (ICO) to further analyse the factors driving future and spot market prices for coffee including production and consumption trends and to demand actions from the world community, governments, industry and consumers in order to address the current coffee price crisis and to pursue gender equality across the coffee value chain.

The International Coffee Council – the only international forum bringing together both coffee exporting and importing countries, the public and private sectors and development partners – provides a platform to study and address the challenges facing the global coffee sector including the distribution of official coffee statistics, and the means to attract development funding to the coffee sector. Over 200 representatives of exporting and importing countries, major coffee private sector associations and platforms, ‘coffeepreneurs’, technology providers and key international organizations and donors supporting the coffee sector gathered in London to discuss how to address emerging issues and the long-term future for coffee producers, traders, industry and consumers.

Click here to read more in our October – December 2018 Magazine issue and turn to page 36.

 

COFFEE AND WINE Two Worlds Compared

Author: Morten Scholer

KEY SELLING POINTS

  • • A comprehensive study comparing the two products and the two sectors
  • • Morten was an advisor to the United Nations and has extensive experience working on coffee and wine projects
  • • Contains numerous illustrations, maps, tables and case studies

The first of its kind, Coffee and Wine is a comprehensive study and comparison of the growing, producing, marketing and consumption of the two beverages – from tree to cup and from vine to glass.

The book is full of surprises for most readers, whether they are beginners or professionals within the coffee or wine industries. Answering questions such as, why has the consumption of coffee dropped despite the growing number of coffee shops? And, why can more wine be produced from a tonne of red grapes than a tonne of white grapes? Morten explains the technical topics about the drinks using simple language, making the facts and figures accessible for all, from experts and professionals to consumers just enjoying coffee and wine

To read more please click here and turn to page 34

1000 HECTARE COFFEE PARADISE IN SOUTHERN TANZANIA

Did you know that in a regular coffee, your preferred barista uses about 150 ml of water to serve it as you like and it goes as low as 22 ml for an expresso? That’s it! Might be your first reaction but you may hold your breath on this one when we tell you that in fact, it takes more than 18,900 L to produce 1kg of coffee.

Indeed, when cruising the alleys of a supermarket or sitting in comfy sofas of a coffee shop, we may all forget that water plays a crucial role in global food security and is essential for production. Water scarcity is already an issue in many world regions and at Olam International Ltd (Olam), we have become well aware of that. It is correct to say that most crops are rain-fed. Nonetheless agriculture also accounts for 71% of all fresh water withdrawals. Demand for additional water for irrigation is estimated to increase by nearly 28% by 2025, while agriculture is estimated to contribute to more than 30% of all fresh water pollution.

Click here to read more and turn to page 32.

MEET KAILASH NATANI THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF UGACOF UGANDA

It is a warm day in Kampala when we visit Kailash Natani at the UGACOF Offices in Bweyogere along Jinja Road. As usual he is all smiles but says very little. This interview is a rarity his staff tell us. The walls of the UGACOF offices tell the story of two decades of growth, storytelling and trade in Uganda – the birthplace of Robusta and Africa’s largest coffee exporting nation. As we sit in the boardroom he requests that we have what is probably the best single origin Robusta we have ever drank. He is also in a suit, another rarity. Thank you for having us Kailash.

Describe Kailash Natani in three words?

I would describe Kailash Natani as a humble and simple man. I think I have been that way from childhood.

How did you get into coffee?

I worked with a commodity company in the past. The commodity company was based in India and traded Soya. I transferred to Uganda 13 years ago when an opportunity came up with UGACOF Uganda. How different is trading in Uganda now than it was 15 years ago when you joined? In the past, Information Technology (IT) was not really a part of trading. The internet was not as available but today everything is available on the internet, everyone is connected so people know the prices on the international and local markets which has eased the sale and buying of coffee

To read more please click here and turn to page 10.

The 2018 AFCA Techincal Trip to Brazil in Partnership with Palini & Alves

By Sylvio Padilha, Agronomist, Coffee Grower and Export Trader for Palini & Alves Ltd

“I believe in the farmer and the land – sources of wealth and well-being and the right of access of the rural community to the benefits of science, education and culture …” (first paragraph of the “Creed of the Extensionist”, written on a hand-painted panel at the Incaper’s HQ main entrance)

On the second week of September, eight AFCA stakeholders from: Angola, Malawi, Kenya and Rwanda, traveled to Brazil for a technical trip carried out through the partnership AFCA / Palini & Alves Ltd.

The aim of the trip was to introduce to the participants, the latest Palini & Alves post harvesting innovations and the best practices technologies led by Incaper, the main research, technical assistance and rural extension institute for both c. canephora (mainly) and c. arabica, in Brazil.

As a first appointment, there was a welcome meeting at Palini & Alves HQ, in which the group had the opportunity to present themselves and express their expectations regarding the trip.

To read more about this story please click here and turn to page 26 of our October – December 2018 Magazine Issue.

 

ICO resolution on the low Coffee Prices – September 2018

By the International Coffee Organisation

Considering:

The situation of 25 million families spread over the producing countries;

Current market price levels; the cost of coffee production in producing countries; the diversity of public policies adopted; the need to coordinate efforts to publicize the aspects of the coffee producing chain;

The need that the ICO prioritize actions to promote the producer economic sustainability; and the promotion of consumption as a fundamental instrument to achieve balance between supply  and demand, in order to guarantee the economic sustainability of the coffee chain.

Please click here to read more and turn to page 38 of the October – December 2018 Magazine.

TOPER SETS UP COFFEE ROASTING PLANT IN US PRISON

By the Toper Roaster Team

Toper, among the world’s largest coffee processing machine producers, installed Coffee processing plant in California Mule Creek Prison, Sacramento, USA.

Toper manager Ramazan Karakundakoğlu, who gives information on the subject, said, “We are a family company selling coffee processing facilities in 136 countries. We have international ETL and UL quality certificates required in America. We have been selling coffee roasting machines to the United States for many years.”

The project is aimed at recruiting and rehabilitating prisoners in the American government’s social responsibility Project.

To read this story please click here and open turn to page 21 of our October – December 2018 Magazine Issue.

GRAND PARADE COFFEE HOSTS AN OPEN-TABLE FORUM ON KENYA IN THE US

by Prof Joseph Kieyah and the Grand Paradé Team

Grand Paradé, San Francisco based Kenyan specialty coffee importer, hosted a unique cupping with prominent Bay Area coffee professionals on September 10, 2018 in Berkeley, California. The event featured Professor Joseph Kieyah, president appointed Chairman of the Kenya Coffee Task Force, who led a conversation about the ongoing reforms in the Kenya coffee sector.

In the CoRo cupping room, the Kenyan government and US industry leaders had a face to face discussion about challenges, issues, and resolutions for Kenyan coffee. The goal for Kenya was to understand the demand market’s needs so that they may rise to the occasion. Professor Kieyah shared the Coffee Task Force’s reform implementations which are creating new infrastructure on the supply side. With this focus in place, it is now time to engage the global market.

To read more please click here and turn to page 20 of our October – December 2018 Magazine Issue

The Rising Tide of the DR Congo “Grand Nord” Origin

 

 

By Kambale Kisumba Kamungele Export Director Ets. TSONGO KASEREKA, Butembo, Nord-Kivu, DR Congo

Just as certain activities are associated by the human mind with specific places, by the same token Coffee in RD Congo is associated with the eastern part of that country. In recent years, most international media coverage on Congo Coffee has been focused on the area bordering the shores of the Lake Kivu, but less attention has been drawn to another section of DRC where coffee activity has remained vibrant, despite its apparent isolation.

This place commonly called as the “Grand Nord” is a region located in the northern part of the Nord-Kivu province of the DRC. It is a vast space made up of the territories of Lubero and Beni, covering close to 24’000 km2 and inhabited by close to 3 million people. It is bordered in the North by the Province of Ituri and in the South by the Territories of Walikale and Rutshuru. On its west there is the Tshopo  Province with wrapped by the Maiko National Park. On the east side of the region, one can find a series of rivers, mountains and lakes constituting landmarks at the border of DRC and Uganda.  In that location, there is  the Lake Edward, lying in the Virunga National Park, which is connected to the Lake Albert by the Semuliki River, flowing northward through the Albertine Rift Valley on the west side of the Ruwenzori Mountains Range, whose highest snowcapped peak reaches 5’109 m altitude.

To read more please click here and turn to page 14 in our October – December 2018 Magazine.