Nestlé and Sucafina – a Geneva based "Farm to Roaster” coffee company, have announced the extension of their partnership for the next three years that will target over 8,000 households around five western province coffee washing stations of Musasa, Mushonyi, Nyamyumba, Rwinyoni, and Ngororero.

Over 30 percent of the beneficiaries will be women. The coffee stations are run by Rwacof on behalf of Sucafina.

Nestlé and Sucafina joined forces in 2015 to run a program called ‘’Coffee by Women’’. The program aims at improving the livelihoods of small-scale coffee producers across the country while ensuring long term sourcing of high-quality coffee.

So far, the program has reached 5,053 coffee farmers with 37 percent comprising of women and 24 percent, youth.

For this second phase, Nestlé and its supplier Sucafina aim at reaching 3,057 women.

Coffee beans produced in this region/country are roasted and used to manufacture one of Nestlé’s coffee brand, Zoégas, popular in Sweden.

Nestlé’s Hans Nilsson said at the event to sign the deal that the initiative is aimed at not only ensuring quality but also to have an impact on the farmers’ everyday livelihoods.

"To ensure higher coffee standards in the future, we need the commitment of everyone in the value chain. By involving women and youth and through education, we do not only secure coffee for the future, but can also make an impact for the coffee growers’ families and communities”, he said.

The Managing Director for Rwacof; Max Veglio, said that the second phase of the "Coffee by Women” initiative will empower women with a tailored program to increase their household incomes, strengthen financial management, and push some of them to assume leading community roles.

"Women play a significant role in coffee farming activities, as well as their critical contribution to families and communities, but they frequently do not have the same opportunities to receive training or to take on leading organizational roles. The project supports gender equality and women empowerment,” he said

As part of the program, farmers will receive, continuous training and technical support and will be certified to a validated international sustainability standard.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com