Uganda, Rwenzori, Espresso

Uganda

REGION: Kasese, Rwenzori, Western Uganda

FARM: Several Smallholder farms

VARIETAL: SL14 SL28

PROCESSING: Washed

ALTITUDE: 1600 - 2000 masl

PRODUCER: Smallholders

CROP YEAR: 2025

We taste tangerines, black tea, and prunes.

The Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda provide ideal conditions for coffee farming and are home to smallholder Bakonzo farmers, who traditionally grow coffee on about two acres using family labor. Coffee is a key source of income, and while farmers once mainly sold dried cherries or parchment, many now sell fresh red cherries to washing stations for faster payment and reduced risk.

Kyagalanyi Coffee Limited and its partner Agri Evolve operate washing stations in Kisinga (since 2015) and Bugoye (since 2019), producing not only natural coffees but also washed, honey, and experimental fermentations. Their work focuses on improving coffee quality, farmer incomes, and living conditions through training, community engagement, and social benefits such as health insurance and pensions for employees.

To address transport challenges in the mountainous region, Agri Evolve established a network of 20 farmer-run buying stations that promote self-empowerment, competition, and full traceability. For remote high-altitude farms, donkeys are used to collect cherries, which are processed separately as exclusive “Donkey Lots,” highlighting the unique quality of coffee grown at higher elevations.