African Coffee-Producing Countries Beyond Kenya and Ethiopia (Part 1)

Coffee Growing Regions Around the World

Globally, not all places are suitable for coffee cultivation. The determining factor for coffee growing is climate. Coffee trees thrive in tropical or subtropical regions that require a humid, warm climate with abundant sunshine and appropriate rainfall.

The equatorial zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn is exceptionally suitable for coffee growth, thus this area is known as the "Coffee Belt." Among these regions, there are three main coffee growing areas: Latin America, Africa, and Asia. African coffee enjoys a very high reputation in the global coffee market, with many outstanding coffee-producing countries such as Ethiopia, recognized as the birthplace of coffee, and Kenya, famous for its multi-layered flavors and juice-like acidity. Besides these, other coffee-producing countries have lower visibility and are relatively rare in the market.

Tanzania

Tanzania is known as the "Coffee Gentleman" and, together with Kenya and Ethiopia, forms the trio of African coffee giants. The country is located in eastern Africa, south of the equator, with western highlands covering half of the entire national area. It boasts Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, moderate temperatures, and abundant water resources, making it extremely suitable for coffee cultivation.

According to historical records, coffee was introduced to Tanzania as early as the 16th century. By the 19th century, coffee had become the country's cash crop. However, after becoming a German colony, the colonial government began planting coffee in the northern Bukoba region, but the cultivation methods differed from those of the local Haya people, leading to slow development. Even after management transferred to the British, production in the Bukoba region did not see significant improvement.

It wasn't until Tanzania's independence in 1961 that the government focused on the coffee industry, implementing a series of reforms. However, at the end of the 1990s, the country suffered from coffee wilt disease, which drastically reduced coffee production. Afterwards, coffee cultivation was gradually relocated to the southern regions and the Mount Kilimanjaro area, where it slowly recovered and developed.

Currently, 90% of Tanzania's coffee comes from 450,000 small-scale farmers, while the remaining 10% comes from larger estates. Therefore, the cooperative model predominates, producing approximately 1.5 million bags (60kg per bag) of coffee annually. Coffee cultivation is currently divided into nine growing regions, with the most famous being Kilimanjaro, primarily growing Arabica coffee beans, mainly Typica, with a small amount of Robusta. The country's coffee is mainly exported to the European Union, Japan, and Russia, and is relatively rare in the domestic market. FrontStreet Coffee offers a washed Typica from the Kilimanjaro region, which tastes with gentle acidity, featuring citrus, berry, honey, and nut flavors, with a smooth, tea-like mouthfeel and overall balance.

Rwanda

Rwanda is known as the "Land of a Thousand Hills." Although the country is not large in area, it is rich in natural resources, boasting numerous mountains, volcanoes, rivers, lakes, savannas, and forests. These conditions are highly suitable for agricultural cultivation. The country's economy is also based on agriculture, with coffee as the primary crop, accounting for 75% of export income.

However, Rwanda's coffee industry developed relatively late. Coffee was only introduced to the Cyangugu province by German missionaries in the 20th century. But thanks to the country's rich natural resources, coffee cultivation expanded nationwide with high yields. However, in 1994, the country experienced civil war and genocide, with nearly 1 million people losing their lives, severely impacting the country's economy. A year later, the civil war ended, and economic reconstruction began. With the assistance of some non-governmental organizations, the country's economy and coffee industry gradually got back on track. Currently, Rwanda's coffee industry is developing steadily.

Rwanda's coffee growing regions are mainly distributed in the southern, western, and eastern parts of the country. The southern regions include the Huye mountainous area and Nyamagabe district, while the western region is primarily the Nyamasheke area along the shores of Lake Kivu. Most of the cultivation is of Arabica varieties, mainly Bourbon and the Bourbon variant Mibirizi, with a small portion of Robusta. Currently, Rwanda exports approximately 17,000 tons of coffee, mainly to the European Union and the United States. However, with the growing demand for coffee in China, Rwanda's coffee exports to China have also begun to increase.

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