At least 900 women coffee farmers in Kayonza District were awarded certificates in coffee value chain after a year-long training.

The farmers trained in best agronomic practices in coffee value chain from planting until it is ready for consumption. They were also trained in coffee tasting.

The training was facilitated by Sustainable Harvest Rwanda, a locally registered non-governmental organisation

Speaking at the event, Christine Condo, Sustainable Harvest’s country director, said the training aimed to instill business spirit among the women.

"We train them in the whole coffee value chain and after that we link them with buyers through the Let’s Talk Coffee initiative so that they can meet the market requirements. The reason behind this is to instigate business spirit among women so that they grow coffee as a profitable business,” she said.

Madeleine Batamuliza, the president of Twongerumusaruro cooperative that grows coffee in Kayonza District, said the skills acquired from the training are impacting their economic empowerment.

"Before I was trained, I knew that coffee is only planted and harvested. I ignored that there is a need for other practices like pest control, application of fertilisers and other best practices,” she said.

"But since I started the training, I apply the skills to my coffee, which has helped me to increase produce and boost my incomes.”

Pontian Munyankera, in-charge of coffee quality at the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), said the training was a tremendous contribution towards the coffee exportation.

"This is a huge contribution towards the transformation of coffee exportation. As we get more skilled farmers in coffee value chain, this means that we will also have the quality of coffee improved, which will boost exports,” Munyankera said.

Last year, Sustainable Harvest Rwanda celebrated the successes for the first group of 829 women who completed their year-long training.

In partnership with the Government of Rwanda and Bloomberg Philanthropies, Sustainable Harvest Rwanda has enabled women in the two districts to set up two coffee washing stations namely Nyampinga coffee washing station in Nyaruguru and the Twongerumusaruro coffee washing station in Kayonza.

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