#coffee

Thousands of smallholder coffee farming families in Tanzania are set to benefit from ongoing agricultural and community development programs following a leadership transition at the Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS), a prominent foundation focused on sustainable coffee farming. The foundation has a history of collaboration with farming communities to enhance their livelihoods.

Young people in Tanzania's southern highland regions are taking initiative to create their own opportunities for success, despite facing systemic barriers. This proactive approach is evident in areas rich in coffee wealth and tourism, where the youth are finding ways to hustle and thrive.

More than three million improved coffee seedlings have been distributed in Kilimanjaro Region to address the decline in coffee production and enhance farmers' incomes. Deputy Minister for Agriculture David Silinde informed the National Assembly that annual coffee production in the region has decreased from 25,000 tonnes to approximately 4,000 tonnes of clean coffee.

The Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA) has proposed the establishment of a unified African cocoa producers' bloc and a minimum floor price of $6,000 per metric tonne. This initiative aims to enhance production coordination and strengthen the bargaining power of farmers across Africa, addressing concerns over foreign control in the industry.

The Kenya Government is focusing on Cooperative Societies to revitalize the struggling Coffee sector, aiming to restore its past success reminiscent of the 1970s. President William Ruto recently launched the Coffee Revival Through Cooperative Societies Programme in Kirinyaga, which is part of these efforts to improve the industry's fortunes.

Coffee farmers in Tooro, Uganda, have established the Tooro Coffee Cooperative Union to enhance their bargaining power, improve market access, and increase their incomes from coffee farming. This decision was made during a meeting at Kalya Courts Hotel in Fort Portal City, which included various coffee farmers.

President William Ruto has announced a government initiative to increase coffee farmers' earnings from Sh158 per kilogramme to between Sh250 and Sh300 in the coming years. This plan is part of a broader strategy to revitalize Kenya's coffee sector. During the launch of a coffee revival program in Kianyaga, Kirinyaga County, Ruto noted that while progress has been made in improving farmers' returns, additional measures are necessary to ensure profitability in coffee farming.

Recent figures from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicate that Uganda's agriculture sector is experiencing significant growth, primarily driven by a surge in coffee exports, which have reached record levels and generated billions of dollars. This trend highlights the importance of coffee in the country's export performance, suggesting a reliance on this single crop for agricultural success.

In March, Uganda's coffee exports increased modestly to 671,152 60-kilogram bags, valued at $173.4 million, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. However, weaker international prices led to a 13.6 percent decline in earnings compared to the previous year. The average export price fell to $4.31 per kilogram, down from $4.63 in February and $5.14 in March of the previous year.

In February, Uganda's coffee export volumes increased significantly, with the country exporting 651,933 60-kilogram bags valued at $181 million, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. This represents a 15 percent year-on-year increase in volumes and a 5.8 percent rise in earnings, despite a decline in global prices, which fell to an average of $4.63 per kilogram from $4.71 in January.