Robusta Coffee Makes a Comeback in Africa
The Wall Street Journal highlights Lutheran World Relief programs in Uganda
Africa’s robusta coffee crop, ravaged over the past two decades by war, plant diseases and pests, is once again on the rise. And international relief & development groups are helping to fuel that growth through programs that strengthen farmers’ cooperatives, modernize planting techniques and urge farmers to take a business-like approach to marketing their yield.
A Wall Street Journal article highlights Lutheran World Relief’s programs as it makes the case for a regional robusta coffee trend.
As the story repeats itself across robusta-growing heartlands from East to West Africa, thanks to new plantings and better crop husbandry methods, the once neglected variety will likely sustain a strong comeback, analysts say — a rare bright spot for the continent’s rainfall-dependent farm economy.
“More farmers are embracing modern farming technologies. This is making a huge difference,” said Rick Peyser, a coffee expert with Lutheran World Relief, one of the charities working with African farmers to improve yields. “Farmers are paying more attention to their plantations.”
The article, written by the Journal’s Kampala-based correspondent, Nicholas Bariyo, notes that robusta now accounts for around 40% of Africa’s total coffee production, up from less than 30% three years ago. And much of that growth is attributed to help from groups like LWR.
Charities such as Lutheran World Relief continue to train farmers about how to improve yields through the adoption of better farming practices such as water retention technologies and better post-harvest handling.
The story recounts the experience of Imelda Muwonge, who leads a farmers’ group in Rakai, Uganda, that receives support from LWR.
“This season, I have earned more money than I always earn from around two harvests” says Imelda Muwonge, who heads a coffee farmers group in Central Uganda. “Prices are better and we have harvested more coffee beans.”
