Rwandan coffee farmers will now have better access to international markets because of its membership in the Common Code for the Coffee Community (4Cs) a global coffee association.

Emmanuel Halerimana, an official from Caferwa, a local producer and exporting company of coffee, who is also a board member of East African Fine Coffee Association (EAFCA), said joining 4Cs would benefit Rwandans greatly especially in long-term improvement of coffee quality sustainability based on market mechanisms.

"If quality is sustainable, I am confident that Rwandan coffee producers and exporters will have access to international market because 4Cs is a global association and buyers and roasters commit themselves to buy coffee from 4Cs member countries,” he said.

4Cs is an independent association for increasing sustainability in the mainstream coffee sector, which aims to enable social, environmental and economic sustainability in the production, post-harvest processing and trading of coffee for all actors along the coffee chain.

Once local Rwandan producers join 4Cs, they will have access to support services which will improve coffee quality and quantity, increase productivity and increase value transfer along the chain. The association will also help producers acquire verification at no costs.

The four largest roasters worldwide are members of the 4Cs including Nestlé, Kraft Foods, Sara Lee and Tchibo with 65 per cent of the world’s coffee market.

Currently in Rwanda only Rwacof is a member of 4Cs and has been a coffee processor and exporter since 1996 with 1,500 farmers.

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