DR Congo Organic Gorilla Blend Kivu 3 Washed 2023

DR Congo Coopade Coffee Cooperative

The Coopade cooperative is comprised of over 4,500 smallholders with an average of only 0.37 hectares of land each. Over 1,700 of them are women. The cooperative operates 16 mini washing stations throughout the Lubero area, bordering the Virunga National Park, with six of them run by women.

From 2019 to 2022, Volcafe, Genuine Origin’s sister company, has been involved with implementing holistic and sustainable farming models for smallholder coops like Coopade that operate along the borders of the Virunga National Park. Over 5,500 farmers received agricultural training in crop diversification, planting, and nurturing. In total, over 143,000 coffee seedlings were disseminated throughout the area. Support for infrastructure investments was also provided in the form of pulpers, tanks, and drying tables to empower smallholders in sustainable and peaceful livelihoods.

DR Congo Specialty Arabica Coffee

North Kivu, named for one of the African Great Lakes, has been establishing a foothold on the global specialty coffee map with stunning Arabica coffee cup profiles for the past decade. While the region suffers from ongoing conflicts, several stakeholders have come together to work towards peace, facilitated by economic and environmental regeneration, and fueled by the production of specialty coffee.

The Virunga National Park in Kivu is Africa’s oldest national park and home to smallholder coffee farmers among the slopes of the Rwenzori Mountains and highlands of Lake Edward. As one of the last refuges of the mountain gorilla and other endangered species of lowland gorillas, savannah elephants, big cats, and antelope, Virunga National Park conservation is paramount to the survival of its extraordinary wildlife.

Conservation and regeneration initiatives, spearheaded by the Virunga Alliance, include hydro-electric generation and distribution for better access to electricity and increased employment opportunities. Another direction is steered by agricultural programs that invest in smallholder production and market accessibility.

The park is a UNESCO World Heritage site – but it’s in danger. While DR Congo continues to battle political struggles and civil unrest, its citizens look to specialty coffee to boost their livelihoods and find a balance between food security and cash generation.

DR Congo Green Coffee

The Democratic Republic of the Congo was one of Africa’s biggest coffee exporters in the 1970s. Today, it’s one of the poorest nations in the world. A turbulent history of civil wars, exploitation, corruption, political instability, and an ever-growing population has crippled DR Congo’s development and the quality of life of its citizens. While the country was historically a Robusta-producing origin, DR Congo Arabica coffee is slowly making a comeback in recent years with an increase in fine, fully washed coffees from stellar regions like North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri. DR Congo’s ideal coffee-cultivating climates are priming its coffee industry for massive growth, and there’s a lot to look forward to for this resilient country.

Photo by Carl de Keyzer / Magnum Photos for the Virunga Foundation