Prolonged dry season and unexpected rains have caused a significant decline in Rwanda’s coffee production. Farmers and exporters are worried that the production could shrink further to an unrecoverable level in the next three years.

According to a performance report by Rwanda’s National Agricultural Exports Development Board, coffee production in the month of November 2021 amounted to 1.4 million kilogrammes from 2.4 million kilogrammes produced in 2020, a decline of 38 percent. There was a 5 percent decrease in
annual coffee production. 

The decline in coffee production was a result of climate change effects and delayed supply of agro-inputs like fertilizers. Some farmers recorded a drop of 20 percent in 2021 coffee production.

Coffee is among Rwanda’s major exports. It generated over $60.4 million in the fiscal year 2019-2020 and $68.7 million in 2018-2019, according to NAEB.

There are about half a million coffee farmers in Rwanda whose livelihoods depend on coffee production and processing.

Musasa Dukunde Kawa Co-operative in Burera district with over 2,100 members, registered a 20 percent drop in 2021 production compared with 2020. Ernest Nshimiyimana, managing director of Dukunde Kawa Co-operative told Rwanda Today that the decline has also affected the income levels of the member.

“Most of our members entirely depend on coffee farming. The drop in production means a decrease in income. We experienced harsh weather last year that added to the issue of delayed fertilizers,” said Ernest Nshimiyimana.

Dukunde Kawa cooperative has over 1,000 coffee trees and exports over 20 tons of coffee per year. Ernest says that the current drop in production might continue in the coming years since nothing has changed.

According to the NAEB report, Rwanda targeted to produce 7,077 kilogrammes of coffee in the second quarter of 2021 but produced 5,660 kilogrammes. The drop in production also affected Rwanda's coffee exports which is among Rwanda's major exports.

Simeon Ngendahimana, managing director of West Hills Coffee, a coffee exporting company, told Rwanda Today that in 2021, their coffee exports declined by half.

“It is a concern, particularly because there is little we can do about it as a country. The main issue here is change in weather and the long dry season. Rwanda’s coffee exports could shrink even further in coming years if we do not come up with sustainable creative solutions,” Mr Ngendahimana, who has been in the coffee exportation industry for 15 years said.

Despite the drop in production, coffee prices on the international market have increased significantly after Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer, lost coffee farms to droughts and frost.

According to NAEB data, coffee export revenues went up to $38.4 million from $26.1 million registered in the second quarter of 2020/2021. The increase of 47 percent is attributed to the good price at the international market, where the average price rose to $4.9 per kilo from $3.7/kilo in the previous period.