They create impact in different areas for coffee farmers in West Nile Region. Creating reliable seasonal employment for hundreds of farmers annually is a key area of impact. The economic nature of this impact is vital for both the farmers and their families. Socially, because of the economic impact, Zombo coffee has observed an increased sense of self esteeem among farmers. Proactiviness to engage with the local politics and leadership, more participation of women in agricultural and household decision making are all results of Zombo being in Business at West Nile.
“ Impact is a result of an activity and could be categorized as positive or negative.”
- AGGREY CHOMBE
CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
THROUGH THE MICROSTATION MODEL
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Achievements so far: The volume of coffee has also increased 2.8 times than volumes purchased since the time they began working in the West Nile region. The biggest purely economic impact of ZCP is that the local price for coffee cherry has doubled in five years, benefiting not just those farmers who are partners of ZCP, but all 20,000 coffee farmers in the region. They have been able to afford better lifestyle due to the income from coffee. Their interest to develop knowledge of coffee quality is evident. Women participate more in decision making both at community and household level. Women also take part in leadership positions which wasn't always the case. Further the guarantee to share their profits with the farmers each season incentivizes them to keep on producing specialty quality coffee. The income earned through coffee in the last few years has helped them improve their lifestyle. Many farmers are able to afford 3 meals a day, send their children to school, buy motorbikes , smartphones. They even build permanent houses . This allows farmers also to feel an improved sense of self esteem because they can see the value of their own work. Their accountability in the community is higher and fosters a deeper sense of community making them work together as well as learn from each other. In farmer households, the income earned improves the family cohesion.
2024 update: In 2024 ZCP is working with almost 4,000 smallholder coffee farmers in north-west Uganda, to market their coffee to the specialty market worldwide. Zombo will give crop finance to 15 microstations, will train and guide their personnel on coffee processing, monitor their work and receive their coffee for storage, dry-processing, marketing and exporting. In 2023 they paid out $6,515 in profit share payments to 1,376 farmers, 969 men and 404 women, according to the volume of coffee cherry they delivered during the 2022 harvest. 75% of the money went to individual farmers, 25%went to the ten microstations which operated during the 2022 harvest, as funds for investment in their business.
What the future holds: Sharing profits with farmers, working with more farmers as well as buying more volume of the coffee from the existing farmers. Securing contracts by finding more buyers will feed the upward cycle of higher income as well as better trust for the farmers to keep selling to ZCP
TRAINING FARMERS TO BE CLIMATE RESLIENT THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
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Achievements so far : Choosing champion farmers per each microstation and making them forerunners in sharing these best practices with their respective microstation/community. Technical training is delivered by a resident community-based consultant (CBC) at each microstation, who trains farmers in all aspects of farm management, including Good Agricultural Practice for coffee, but also food crops, horticultural cash crops, beekeeping, and so on. When the project finishes, ZCP will take on the project staff as permanent field officers.
What does the future hold : Currently working with 750 farmers out of our 2,500 to convert them to certified organic for one of their customers who is insisting on certified organic coffee. 7 more microstations are expected to be certified organic in 2026. Creating experimental processing lots at Jukia microstation based on the market demands.
