MALAWI – a good coffee harvest in 2024
2024-08-15
Chipunga Farm in Malawi has begun its coffee harvest– which is good news! The coffee trees planted three to four years ago are yielding beans for the first time. They are now mature enough, and unlike last year, there was enough rain this season. In other words, investments into coffee farming – money, hard work, continuing-education measures, learning by doing as the plants grow – are literally and figuratively bearing fruit!
Organic and community-oriented
The success of the coffee-growing process is due to the dedication of the employees and small-scale farmers from nearby towns. More and more they are embracing organic-farming techniques and community-oriented initiatives. In the meantime, the project has grown to include 225 small farmers.
Ökologisch und gemeinwohlorientiert
Better quality of life for the community
The goal which gave rise to this project: to improve the quality of life in the community by growing coffee and macadamia nuts as well as producing honey. A great deal was invested into training the farmers about organic agriculture, natural pest-control techniques and soil enhancement. These measures all had a significant impact on the quality of the coffee and the harvest yield.
The successful coffee harvest at Chipunga Farm has meant that the number of pickers has doubled within one year from 40 to 80. This is good for the community: it lets families earn money, send their children to school and have access to better health care.
The project shows what small farmers can achieve when they join forces. This year’s harvest is not only a major accomplishment for the coffee project: it is also a sign that people can do more when they work as one and can develop as a community.
Drying equipment (under construction) for coffee beans before being further processed and roasted.
Trocknung der Kaffeebohnen
Solar panels make the coffee farm independent of the power grid and make production dependable despite problems with national power supply.