Sipi Tangwen

This year we have deepened our sourcing approach in Uganda, with Zukuka Bora, to feature three distinct lots from the small-scale producers of Mount Elgon. Here we are roasting a small outturn from Sipi Tangwen for filter coffee, which delivers a crisp and sweet citrusy cup.

The Producers

The smallhold farmers growing the coffee that makes its way into this lot live in the remote community of Sipi near Kamorok on Mount Elgon, close to the border with Kenya. A typical family would have between 20 and 200 coffee trees, and so volumes are built via communities rather than individual farmers and households. Visiting the area is difficult, in particular when rains and mudslides limit accessibility, with the preferred mode of transport in and out being the motorcycle taxi. The soils are volcanic and rich, with altitudes spanning 1,700 up to 2,000 metres, resulting in ideal conditions for producing top quality arabica coffees. 

The Co-operative

To help untap the potential of the region and work towards farmer prosperity, the NGO ‘JENGA’ from Mbale in Eastern Uganda established the Zukuka Bora co-operative. Zukuka Bora means ‘Revive!’ or ‘Wake Up the Best!’ referencing the history of the region as famed for producing top quality specialty coffees. 

In 2014 they bought a small plot to use as a demonstration farm to teach the growers in the area about best agricultural practices for coffee, such as how to plant and space their coffee trees, utilising shade cover and how to apply mulch and organic fertiliser around the trees. There is also training on best ways to perform selective harvesting, the cornerstone of producing specialty coffee. Initially the prospect of ‘floating’ prior to depulping was met with skepticism, as on the surface it looks like syphoning off cherry and therefore money, but the goal of producing specialty outturns can require this type of refinement, and the seconds and off-grades pulled out at this stage will still find a home in the local market.

As well as good-agricultural-practices training the group held discussions with their grower members to understand what they could do socially to bring some positive impact. The results were establishing a women’s community group, training community health workers, running a goat rearing program, offering education support and facilitating clean water schemes.