Nespresso has introduced Amaha awe Uganda, ‘Hope of Uganda’, a new and seasonal coffee from the Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda made possible through the company’s Reviving Origins programme. Launched in 2019, the Reviving Origins programme aims to restore coffee production in regions where it is under threat.
As part of the Reviving Origins programme and in partnership with Agri Evolve, a young agribusiness dedicated to improving farmer productivity, Nespresso is working with more than 2,000 farmers, providing training and expertise to improve coffee quality and productivity in addition to establishing sustainable farming practices.
Formally launched in 2019, the Reviving Origins programme aims to revive coffee agriculture and local coffee economies in regions affected by adversities such as conflict, economic hardship and environmental disasters.
The programme provides support to rebuild sustainable livelihoods for farmers and their communities while preserving the future of some of the world’s rarest, most exquisite coffees. Nespresso is investing a total of CHF 10 million in the program over a period of five years (2019-2023).
Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso says: “Coffee is the lifeblood of entire communities across the globe. In many regions, coffee farming is threatened for reasons such as climate change, conflict and a shifting global economy.
“Through the Reviving Origins programme, Nespresso provides support to struggling coffee farming areas and helps breathe new life into local economies and, most importantly, communities in these regions.”
Rebuilding sustainable livelihoods
Since its launch last year, the Reviving Origins programme has already been a significant success in Zimbabwe and Caquetá, Colombia, two regions where coffee production has been under threat in recent years. In Zimbabwe, for example, coffee production has been under pressure for a number of years, falling from 15,000 tonnes in the late 1980s to just 500 tonnes in 2017.
For this reasons, The Reviving Origins programme has become an integral part of the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Programme – providing continuous training on quality and productivity, as well as free technical assistance through its agronomist network. It also addresses infrastructure challenges that exist by building wet mills or helping to establish coffee cooperatives. As a result, productivity has increased.
Jonny Rowland, owner and managing director of Agri Evolve says: “Our partnership with Nespresso enables us to provide ongoing support to the Rwenzori coffee farmers. Through community projects and teamwork, growth and development are not only within the coffee farm but also in the improved environmental and social standards of the community.
The Rwenzori coffee farmers now have the opportunity to share their premium quality coffee with the world, leading to higher household incomes as well as giving communities and families confidence for a sustainable future in coffee farming for the generations to come.”
As of 6 July 2020, the Amaha awe Uganda coffee will be available in 31 countries, including South Africa. This is alongside Reviving Origins coffee, Tamuka mu Zimbabwe – back for 2020 following its initial launch in South Africa last year.
The Reviving Origins programme’s long-term aim is to establish these under threat coffees as permanent blends, available all year round for consumers, by helping farmers to increase the quality and the yield of their coffee, which brings crucial economic benefits for the regions involved and leveraging strong partners in each of the origins.
