Uganda Bugoye أوغندا بوجوي

Farm: Bugoye Coffee Station

Varietal: SL28, SL14

Processing: Fully Washed

Altitude: 1,700 to 2,200 above sea level

Owner: 2,000 farmers - members of Rwenzori Arabica Scheme Kyagalanyi Coffee Ltd

Town / City: Bugoye, Kasese

Region: Rwenzori – Western Uganda

Country: Uganda

The Story Behind This Coffee

For many, Uganda might not the first country that comes to mind when thinking of high quality Arabica coffee: the country has been traditionally known as a producer of Robusta. However, in many regions of the country the challenges are more a matter of infrastructure, history and knowledge than environment. The Rwenzori Mountains are just one of many regions in the country ideally suited to the production of high-quality specialty coffee. 

Benefiting from a bi-modal rainfall season and high altitudes, the country has a pleasant climate all year round and is lush with greenery. The Rwenzoris are famously known as the ‘Mountains of the Moon’. They stretch for 120 kilometres along the Western Uganda border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The snow capped peaks reach over 5,000 metres above sea level and support glaciers that are the start of many rivers flowing down the slopes (including one source of the Nile).

The high altitude, fertile soils and plentiful rainfall provide perfect growing conditions for Arabica coffee.

Most farmers have around 1 hectare of land, and all work on the farm is done by hand, usually by immediate family members. Families work together in groups, usually community based but sometimes also extended family groups, to process and market their coffee, an approach known as ‘share farming’. This helps them to improve processing, better control quality and increases their marketing ability.

Kyagalanyi is one of the entities tapping into this budding potential and making it possible for smallholders to participate in specialty markets. In Uganda, they operate three sustainable Arabica washing stations, all of which are UTZ certified. Their Kisinga Coffee Station presents to farmers a programme that incorporates processing infrastructure with agricultural extension services.

Kyagalanyi aims to build long term relationships with the groups in the region and works closely with them to develop the value chain. The work in the Bakonzo County has only recently begun, but already Kyagalanyi is assisting farmers with better market information, improved prices for better quality and advice on how farmers can improve their primary processing techniques. This area will soon become part of the Kyagalanyi Coffee Services program which aims to sustainably increase coffee production and quality.

With such small plots of coffee, it is not surprising that coffee production in Bakonzo County comes with challenges. Rainfall is becoming more irregular, with frequent droughts and punishing rainstorms. Temperatures are rising across the board. In these unreliable circumstances, Kyagalanyi plans to play a very important role.

During the harvest season, Kyagalanyi encourages farmers to deliver cherry to the respective wet mills instead of hand pulping on their farm. This has given the programme increased control over processing activities, which can be challenging in the region as rains during the harvest season are common. Most farmers live up to 50 kilometres away from the washing station. Due to the long distances, Kyagalanyi has a truck that offers free transport services that visits every farmer group 1-2 times per week during harvest season.

As the coffee trees flower multiple times, the harvest season is quite long (4-5 months). Farmers normally pick coffee at least once every week. Kyagalanyi implements a 95% red cherry policy. Farmers are requested to only bring in fully ripe cherry, and this is checked at every collection point. If the quality is not up to standards, producers will have to sort their cherries at the collection point until 95% red before their coffee is purchased. Kyagalanyi provides tarpaulins and racks to assist in the sorting. This coffee was processed using the washed method. Once delivered, the coffee is floated, pulped, and fermented for twelve hours in large steel tanks. The coffee is then washed through channels, graded, and is then moved to dry on raised beds inside polytunnels. The air is too hot to dry outside uncovered, which can cause cracks in the parchment. Additionally, regular rainfall makes it equally difficult to dry in the open. It will stay here for three to seven days depending on the weather, and drying is controlled by turning the coffee regularly and maintaining an equal depth of cherry on the beds. The coffee is then moved to the dry mill in Mbale to dry mechanically for three to four days.