Founded in 2004 in Musasa, at over 2,000 meters above sea level, the Dukunde Kawa cooperative is located in the Gakenke district, about 50 km north of Kigali as the crow flies, after more than 2.5 hours on winding dirt roads. It now brings together nearly 2,000 producers, around 80% of whom are women.
The cooperative supports its members in implementing sustainable farming practices, notably through reforestation and the systematic planting of shade trees. When a producer leaves the cooperative with a coffee seedling, they also receive a shade tree seedling. At the washing stations, the water used to process the coffees is reused, helping to limit environmental impact.
Fairtrade certified since 2005, Dukunde Kawa has developed several social and economic projects thanks to Fairtrade premiums. These include the creation of a Farmers Saving Account, allowing producers to access small loans at low interest rates, as well as agronomy training and access to health insurance.
The cooperative is also behind the Musasa Milk project, which aims to diversify producers’ incomes. Cows are provided to members, helping fertilize fields and enabling the sale of milk to the cooperative, where it is locally processed into yogurt and other dairy products.
Processed as a washed coffee, this Rubyiniro lot reflects the cooperative’s collective work and the care given to coffee processing, with a profile aligned with the quality standards sought on Rwanda’s high plateaus.
