Stakeholders

The Burundi Coffee industry dates from 1930’s with the colonial time. It has gone through so many reforms but the latest one that opened to privatisation and liberalisation of the sector.

Along this period of time, the industry still is founded on small household farming system. Small householders played and keep playing a key role in the coffee industry. They are the backbone of the industry. The coffee value chain counts producers at the first link (production), processors at the second link (processing) and the exporters at the third link (market access).

Producers are organized in the National Confederation of Associations of Coffee farmers (CNAC Murima w’Isangi). This non-profit organisation of plays the role of advocacy and provides various extensive services. The processors are organised into a Consortium of washing Stations Association (COWASA).

The exporters are from the producers and processors that own wet mills and dry mills. This group of stake holders are organized in three consortia that fulfil the function of trading. i.e.: COCOCA Union (Coffee Farmers Cooperatives’ Union owned), SOGESTALs (Government’s owned societies for trade) and BUCOFCO (private investors owned societies) All the coffee stakeholders of Burundi coffee industry are gathered in the Interprofessional Association known as “INTERCAFE BURUNDI”  and which plays multiple functions related with coffee at all links of the Value Chain.

At the top of all those organisations, the government via its Agency of Regulatory of Coffee Sector (ARFIC) and which is under the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock responsibilities, sets policies, sets norms and standards of production and trade and controls everything related to coffee.