Abakundakawa Cooperative

The story

The Abakundakawa Cooperative was established in 2004 by smallholder farmers in the Gakenke District who sought to improve their access to specialty coffee markets. Since its inception, the cooperative has expanded significantly from its original membership of approximately 100 to over 4,500 farmers. The organization focuses on community development and socio-economic empowerment, including the support of women through the Hinga Kawa association.

Challenges

Smallholder farmers in the region historically struggled with limited market access and a lack of knowledge regarding specialty coffee standards. The cooperative also operates within a landscape where coffee production is susceptible to common agricultural threats like coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease.

Innovations

The cooperative utilizes a natural fertilization program that incorporates livestock manure and recycled coffee byproducts like hulls and parchment. They have achieved status as the first Regenerative Organic Certified coffee producer in Rwanda and operate multiple washing stations to manage diverse processing techniques including anaerobic fermentation.