The players in coffee value chain from 40 countries across the world visited coffee plantations located in Karenge of Rwamagana District and Musasa of Gaskenke District on Sunday.

They are in Rwanda to attend the third World Coffee Producers Forum taking place in Kigali from 13th to 15th February 2023.

At least 50 foreign delegates who went to Gakenke visited a coffee processing plant belonging to Dukunde Kawa Cooperative in Ruli Sector.

Eric Ruganintwali, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Division Manager at the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) has said that they preferred to take guests to Gakenke because the cooperative has a lot of best practices to share.

The visit was also an opportunity for guests to witness the process of coffee production from the plantation to the packaging stage.

Musasa has unique taste that it is among the most preferred coffee brands on the market.

It is grown on high altitude hills of Gakenke District at 2,000 kilometers above sea level.

Dukunde Kawa Cooperative was established in 2000 by 300 members from 10 sectors in the former Commune Musasa, Kigali Ngali Prefecture.

The cooperative which grows coffee on 392 hectares, has four processing plants and one coffee dryer.

Members have increased to 1993 of whom women make up 80%. It to produces high quality coffee and seeks to put farmers’ livelihoods at the center of its operations.

In 2004, the cooperative was the first in Rwanda to acquire Trade Fair licensing.

Through Dukunde Kawa cooperative, farmers attest transformed livelihoods as they have 220 jersey cows that have served as a source of milk and compost used to fertilize their plantations.

The cooperative also provided members with interest-free loans, built two primary schools nearby its operations and help them subscribe for community based health insurance subscriptions on time.

Dukunde Kawa has also built a plant that processes milk, produces cheese and yogurt.

Coffee is thoroughly monitored from the plantation until its reaches end users.

Rwanda's coffee stands out for great taste.

Guests were also taken through the process to prepare new seedlings.

Visitors toured different coffee plantations.

Visitors toured different coffee plantations.

Guests in a group photo after concluding the visit.

Dukunde Kawa cooperative has four processing plants and one coffee dryer.