MAGASI
Uganda

As part of a series to highlight the work done by the Coffee Gardens this lot is dedicated to Village Savings Groups. This is to empower the farmers with financial literacy, record keeping and to strengthen leadership. They have 7 Savings Groups who are all supported by an expert leader. In total 232 farmers are use the loans and savings group to buy farm inputs, pay labourers and pay school fees. In total there are 172 farmers with savings accounts and 71% of these are women

The coffee in this micro-lot is produced by the farmers on the mountain above The Coffee Gardens’ washing station. The farmers bring the coffee cherries down to the processing station themselves, earning extra income. This lot is made up of 144 farmers with 18% of them Women farmers. The farmers from this lot received 47% of the FOB price. This lot was harvested in December 2022

1) Coffee is delivered to the station and sorted by 4 employees dedicated to this job

2) Coffee is pulped and then soaked in cold mountain water

3) The coffee is then submerged in tanks for a 40hr signature fermentation

4) The coffee is then washed and any floaters removed

5) The coffee is then transferred for skin drying on raised beds in the shade for 2-3 days

6) Then the coffee is taken to the solar drier and will continue to dry for 10 days until it reaches between 15-25% depending on the time of the season and local weather.

7) The coffee is then transported down the hill to their drying yard in Mbale where it it dried for another 10 days down to below 11%.

8) The coffee is then left to rest before being prepared for milling and shipping