Tanzania | Introduction to the Mbinga Coffee Region

African coffee holds an important position in the global coffee market, with Ethiopia being the birthplace of coffee. Besides Ethiopia, there are many other outstanding coffee-producing countries in Africa, such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

Tanzania is located in eastern Africa, south of the equator, and consists of Tanganyika (mainland) and Zanzibar (islands), sharing borders with several African countries.

According to historical records, coffee was introduced to Tanzania from Ethiopia in the 16th century. By the 19th century, when Tanzania was under German colonial rule, coffee had already become an important economic crop for the country.

Tanzania's economy is predominantly agricultural, with rich mineral and tourism resources. The country's terrain is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast. The eastern coast consists of lowlands, while the western highlands account for half of the country's total area. The Great Rift Valley extends from north to south in two branches around Lake Malawi, and Tanzania is home to Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Located near the equator, the eastern coastal and inland lowlands have a tropical savanna climate, while the western inland highlands have a tropical highland climate, with average annual temperatures ranging from 21°C to 26°C. Although the country receives relatively little rainfall, with 80% of regions receiving less than 1000 millimeters annually, Tanzania has numerous rivers and lakes, providing abundant water resources.

Tanzania Coffee Regions

Tanzania's coffee cultivation is currently divided into nine growing regions, with relatively well-known ones being Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Ruvuma, Mbeya, Tarime, and Kigoma. 90% of Tanzania's coffee is produced by 450,000 small farmers, while the remaining 10% comes from larger estates, making cooperative models predominant. Tanzania's first cooperative, the Kilimanjaro Native Planters' Association (KNRA), was established as early as 1925.

Kilimanjaro Region

Among Tanzania's coffee regions, Kilimanjaro (where "Kili" means mountain and "manjaro" refers to shining) is the most famous. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain on the entire African continent, mainly composed of three dormant volcanoes: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, reaching a maximum height of 5,895 meters. Coffee is cultivated at elevations between 1,050 and 2,500 meters.

The combination of high altitude, volcanic soil, and pure meltwater sources makes this region ideal for coffee cultivation. FrontStreet Coffee's bean selection includes a washed Typica from Tanzania's Kilimanjaro region. This FrontStreet Coffee Tanzania coffee bean offers gentle acidity, with flavors of citrus, berries, honey, and nuts. The mouthfeel is smooth with tea-like characteristics, creating an overall balanced profile.

Emerging Southern Regions

Although Tanzania's specialty coffee regions have traditionally been concentrated around Mount Kilimanjaro and in the northern parts of the country, southern Tanzania has begun to emerge in recent years, with the Mbinga region gaining recognition.

The Mbinga region is famous for its proximity to Lake Malawi near Malawi, which is Africa's third-largest lake. Except for its southern part, the lake is surrounded by mountains on three sides. Coffee is grown on hillsides at 1,600 meters elevation, where the soil, nourished by the lake, is extremely fertile and suitable for coffee and other agricultural products.

The local Nsekewe Cooperative is one of the few cooperatives in the region with female board members and places great emphasis on environmental protection, enabling them to produce high-quality coffee beans.

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