Coffee Program > Highlights
RATES Partners Funds Assist DRC Small Holder Coffee Farmers
Life has not been easy for the small coffee farmers in the DRC
over the last 20 years. The quality of the production of coffee
has suffered due to poor primary processing, lack of equipment
and insufficient training of farmers. Fortunately, in the past
two years, the situation is gradually returning to normal and coffee
quality improving. Farmer associations have now been formed and
despite the operating difficulties, the private sector has become
very active in the area at the level of import business as well
as coffee and other produce export.
RATES is making a contribution to the effort by working through
the Cooperative d’Ecoulement des Produits Agricoles (COEPRA),
a local farmers association, and a private Swiss firm, Schluter
SA, that has agreed to purchase coffees from the group. In September
2006, the RATES Partners Fund granted $18,000 to COPRPRA to enable
the group to purchase 25 hand-pulping machines. Coffees have been
traditionally pulped using wood or stones and unfortunately the
resulting quality reflected this poor treatment . In November,
each machine was placed in key producing areas (Isale, Kirumba,
Kikuyo, Hutwe, Mutwanga, Minova, Kukununu, Kalau, Kauli-Lac and
Kaliva) where coffee farmers organized themselves to collectively
utilize each machine.
COEPRA also offered a 3-day training/extension services to the
farmers in these areas to assist them with the pruning and care
of their trees and improved mulching and fertilizer use with a
view to improving both quality and yields. John Schluter noted
that “improved processing of the coffee can improve the value
of the coffee by approximately $200-$300 per metric ton with the
direct result of improving and increasing farmer incomes.”
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