Growing Fairer Futures: Rwanda

In Rwanda, over 400,000 families rely on coffee farming for their main source of income. It remains a smallholder activity, with the average size of a coffee farm being less than a hectare (around 2.5 acres) containing 200 trees.

Other challenges to the sector include the continued use of labour intensive traditional farming techniques, high cost of materials, and the effects of climate change.  These factors mean that many young farmers are unable to produce coffee profitably. This has led to high unemployment in rural areas, with many young people migrating to cities in search of work.

Our third Growing Fairer Futures project will support young people in western Rwanda to establish their own coffee farms. Working in partnership with local coffee co-operative KOPAKAMA, we will provide training in topic such as Climate Smart Agriculture techniques and materials such as disease resistant coffee seedlings to 50 young people, as well as farming tools, and equipment.  Through the innovative use of two specially created demonstration farms, the young people will learn about preparing the land and how harvesting works.

This project is funded by Shared Interest Foundation donations.