Chanzo Coffee

It wasn't so long ago that specialty coffee from Uganda was virtually unknown. The East African country was primarily known for its Robusta harvests, but today Arabica coffee is cultivated in three major regions. One of these growing areas is Mount Elgon.

Mount Elgon is an extinct shield volcano located in eastern Uganda, along the border between Uganda and Kenya. Although the summit of Mount Elgon reaches an altitude of 4,321 meters above sea level, Chanzo coffee is harvested at altitudes between 1,750 and 2,100 meters above sea level. Smallholder farmers are trained in the best harvesting techniques to ensure that perfectly ripe cherries are picked. The coffee cherries are then collected and pulped at a central location (a washing station) to ensure that the correct floating, washing, and drying techniques are used to achieve the highest possible quality. Ongoing on-site training and education further optimize quality. This improved quality leads to better prices for the raw coffee, which in turn enables investment. This is empowering local communities and a sustainable form of development cooperation.