Africa-Press – Tanzania. KAGERA Cooperative Union (KCU 1990 Ltd) is targeting a significant increase in coffee collection during the 2025/2026 season as part of efforts to improve farmers’ livelihoods and strengthen the national economy.
KCU (1990) Ltd Chairman, Mr Ressy Mashulano, said the union aims to collect over 10 million kilogrammes of cherry coffee, more than double the 4.9 million kilogrammes collected during the 2024/2025 season.
The union also collected 1.3 million kilogrammes of organic coffee, against a target of 2.6 million kilogrammess.
“These steps are critical in improving farmers’ livelihoods while contributing meaningfully to the national economy,” he said.
“Our aim is not only to scale up production but also to support farmers in replacing old, unproductive coffee trees. Other strategies include the use of digital scales and expanding organic coffee production. Increased production in the region positively impacts both farmers and the national economy.”
Mr Mashulano explained that the union plans to secure a 27bn/- loan from the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB), of which 20bn/- will be used to purchase coffee from farmers, while 7bn/- will finance construction of the new Lake Hotel.
During the 2024/2025 season, KCU secured a 10.4bn/- loan and by March 30 this year had repaid 11bn/-, including interest, to TADB.
As a member of the Fair-Trade Organization (FTO), the union continues to utilize Fair Trade premiums across various Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS).
Fair Trade is a global movement made up of more than 3,000 grassroots organisations in over 70 countries, established to ensure farmers receive fair and stable prices that cover the costs of sustainable production.
Mr Mashulano said some AMCOS have used Fair Trade premiums to build additional classrooms and health centres, while others have constructed or repaired roads leading to crop collection centres.
“Members have remained united as they benefit from secure prices and FairTrade premiums, much more than they would earn individually on the conventional market,” he noted.
He added that KCU has established long-term partnerships with international buyers, particularly 100 per cent Fair Trade companies such as Twin, Rapunzel, Café Direct, Gepa, Oxfam, Trade Fair Original, and Trade Aid Importer, among others.
“Fair Trade certified coffee meets strict standards that promote sustainable livelihoods, safe working conditions, environmental protection and transparent supply chains,” he said.
Kagera Cooperative Union (KCU 1990 Ltd) is a voluntary association of 125 AMCOS, representing over 60,000 small-scale farmers, primarily producing Robusta coffee.
Each AMCOS comprises an average of 500 smallholder farmers. Kagera Region is one of the country’s major coffee producers, with annual production ranging between 40,000 and 60,000 metric tonnes, accounting for about 50 per cent of national output.
Coffee is now sold through auctions, with direct farm sales banned. Ongoing reforms aim to improve farmer incomes and increase their participation along the value chain.
The government, in collaboration with the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB), cooperative unions, the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TACRI), Café Africa Tanzania and private sector partners, is implementing a five-year strategic plan to boost national coffee production from 78,000 metric tonnes to 300,000 metric tonnes.
The plan also includes producing 20 million improved coffee seedlings annually
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