Product Overview
Dukunde Kawa literally means “Let’s love coffee”, is a primary coffee farmers’ cooperative started in 2000 by 300 small-scale farmers from 10 coffee growing micro-regions in former communes MUSASA, North of Rwanda, to enhance farmers’ economic market power and aims to produce coffee of first quality.
The cooperative has a rich history of investing in women's development as a means to alleviate poverty in the coffee community. It has established a women's association within the cooperative known as the “Rambagira Kawa Women Group.” This group cultivates and sells “women's coffee,” engages in embroidery and weaving as a diversification activity during the off season.
Rambagira Kawa exports their coffee separately as coffee grown by women, thus generating additional income for their children's education and enhancing the livelihood of their coffee community. Additionally, Rambagira Kawa has founded a sewing association and executed a program aimed at producing and exporting traditional Rwandan hand-woven baskets.
The Dukunde Kawa Cooperative firmly believes that coffee encompasses more than just its delightful taste or the energy it provides. It is also about transforming lives. A commendable cooperative is one that fosters the prosperity of its communities. Farmers collaborating with Musasa Dukunde Kawa have been able to purchase their own livestock, access long-term interest-free credit, and annually pay for health insurance. Furthermore, the cooperative erected two schools for local children in 2006. Many farmers have renovated their homes, resulting in all members’ homes having tiled roofs and cemented structures.
Since 2012, Dukunde Kawa has directly provided 220 dairy cows to members in need, aiming to produce organic manure for their coffee farms. This practice continues in line with Rwandan tradition, where the first heifer/calf spirit, commonly known as “kuzitura / kwitura,” is passed on. In 2015, the Musasa Diary was established in response to the abundant milk production and farmers' requests for collection centers. Presently, the Diary business collects, processes, and manufactures milk products such as fresh milk, fermented milk, yogurt, and cheeses.
FARM/COOP/STATION: Dukunde Kawa Musasa
VARIETAL: Bourbon
PROCESSING: Fully washed
ALTITUDE: 1,542 – 2,000 meters above sea level
SUBREGION/TOWN: Gakenke District
REGION: Northern Province of Rwanda
CERTIFICATIONS: Organic, FT
COMMENTS/PRIZES: Musasa Coffee has won Rwanda's Cup of Excellence in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018
