Gashonga Coop

The Gashonga cooperative was created in 2009 with the objective of improving the well-being of farmers and their families through coffee. Today, the cooperative has 110 member farmers, all are women, who grow coffee at an altitude of 1650 meters above sea level.  

The cooperative plays an important role in creating jobs in the community

The cooperative's goal is to help producers become economically independent through coffee growing. Thus, it offers them various advantages:  

• Free health insurance  
• Annual bonuses 
• Contribution to the "Ejo Heza" pension plan.    

In addition, the farmers' income is diversified

The majority of coffee producers in Rwanda are small producers (over 500,000) who each grow about an acre (0,4 hectare) per family. Cows, chickens, goats, ... the members of the cooperative receive animals that contribute to the production of organic fertilisers. It allows them to diversify their income through the sale of dairy products, eggs and meat. 

The cooperative participated in the Cup of Excellence in 2015. Coffee ranked 7th with a score of 86.7.  

Continuous improvement is a leitmotif for the cooperative

Thanks to the support of Sustainable Growers, a Rwandan training programme for women coffee growers, many investments are underway:  

• Renovation of the washing station and construction of a more modern infrastructure, including a quality laboratory 
• Recruitment of women growers: 38 women will become members of the cooperative next year 
• Increased production: 30,600 coffee trees will be planted in 2022 and 25,000 more in 2023.  
• Education: the cooperative is committed to including young people in the coffee value chain. To this end, it trains young people in the region and helps them to acquire land.  

Western Province is one of Rwanda's most important coffee-growing regions. It is characterised by its unique geography, situated along Lake Kivu, with altitudes generally between 1,400 and 2,000 metres above sea level. The climate is temperate, with regular rainfall, and the volcanic soils are rich in minerals, creating ideal conditions for growing coffee. 

The main coffee-growing districts in the region are Nyamasheke, Rusizi, Rutsiro, Karongi and Ngororero. The coffee produced here is renowned for its smoothness and complexity. It has pronounced fruity, citrus and red fruit notes. 

The main coffee variety grown in this region is the red Bourbon, although there are a few plantations of Bourbon Mayaguez 139 and Jackson. Most of the coffee is grown on small family farms where it is harvested by hand. Most of the coffee is wet-processed, followed by drying on raised beds. However, coffee growing in this region faces specific challenges, particularly in controlling erosion due to the steep slopes and managing shade to protect the coffee trees. 

Despite these challenges, Western Province produces some of Rwanda's most prized coffees, and several batches from the region have won awards in international competitions, testifying to the exceptional quality of the coffee grown there.