Producer Profiles
SOPACDI - Solidarite Promotion des Actions Café Development
The climatic and geographical conditions in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo are ideal to grow high quality coffee. However, infrastructure and trade have been in decline since the 1960’s, when DRC became independent from Belgium, and were fully destroyed in the years following the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Due to the ongoing conflicts, many farmers had to flee from the violence, abandoning their homes and coffee plantations. Producers who had nowhere else to go were forced to smuggle their coffee harvest out of the country to make a living. Today, although the situation is still unstable, many farmers are looking for means to rebuild their lives again. Fair Trade coffee, which already has proven to be a powerful conflict resolution tool in other unstable regions, has the potential to provide sustainable livelihoods in this region, especially with commodity prices at record heights.
Situated on the shores of Lake Kivu, SOPACDI is one of few Congolese coffee cooperatives working with farmers affected by the violence in the region. With support from different organizations, led by Twin Trading, SOPACDI has built up its capacity to produce and export coffee of the highest international standard. Due to the dire situation of coffee farmers in East Congo, Fair Trade took the unique decision last year to give SOPACDI permission to trade on Fair Trade terms on the basis of a documentary inspection as the smoldering conflict in the region prevented FLO-CERT inspectors from traveling to DRC. The cooperative became officially Fair Trade certified in July.
The high coffee quality, in conjunction with effective marketing, has been the key to the organization's success. Investments have been made at every level, including on farm coffee rehabilitation, processing infrastructure, and business and governance capacity. While in 2009 SOPACDI exported only 15 tons of coffee, it managed to increase the volume to 76.8 tons last year and is even expected to double that amount by December. Major UK retailer Sainsbury’s added it to its coffee selection. Earlier this year a limited edition DRC and Malawi coffee blend, including SOPACDI’s coffee, was successfully launched by the retailer for Fair Trade Fortnight and Red Nose Day. Today, demand for SOPACDI’s coffee, which is marketed by Twin Trading, exceeds its supply, with interest from other traders in the US and Japan.
Over 600 of SOPACDI’s 3,200 producer members are women. Many of these women farmers are widows who have lost their husbands in the war or by drowning in their attempt to smuggle coffee across Lake Kivu. From the outset, the cooperative has been concerned about the particular difficulties faced by these widows - the Woman’s Committee already has a representative on the organization's board. But now, as part of a program rolled out by the Fair Trade organization, Twin, SOPACDI plans to take matters a step further. Like in many African countries, rural women play an important role in agriculture in the Congo. However, as most land is owned by men, they remain economically dependent and have limited access to credit. Twin’s empowerment project will help a number of cooperatives like SOPACDI to install gender equity and equality in all their activities. In addition, Twin supports the development of a market for woman’s coffee so that women farmers can benefit directly from the crops they produce.
The market development for SOPACDI’s coffee produced by women was first created in 2009, when high quality roaster, Matthew Algie, traded a small special edition of the cooperative’s coffee in Scotland. The marketing campaign, which was also rolled out online, focused on the stories of the women farmers. From the sale, SOPACDI’s women received 1,481 USD as Premium (40 cents/lb).
‘We need more support to ensure women are able to build their individual capacity so we are better prepared to take care of our families. Congolese women often are alone on this journey,’ Immaculee concludes.
SOPACDI’s case has proven that the market interest for specialty products like coffee produced by women is real, providing that the quality is of the highest standard. As sales grow it will be important to find a level of premium that has an impact on women, while still remaining economically attractive to roasters. Woman’s empowerment also requires a more structural change, which goes beyond woman's premiums. Twin is now engaging with SOPACDI and other cooperatives in the Great Lakes region to introduce a gender methodology that will enable them to engage farmers, both men and women, in analyzing, assessing and changing their gender roles to improve their livelihoods and their business in a sustainable way.
Situated on the shores of Lake Kivu, SOPACDI is one of few Congolese coffee cooperatives working with farmers affected by the violence in the region. With support from different organizations, led by Twin Trading, SOPACDI has built up its capacity to produce and export coffee of the highest international standard. Due to the dire situation of coffee farmers in East Congo, Fair Trade took the unique decision last year to give SOPACDI permission to trade on Fair Trade terms on the basis of a documentary inspection as the smoldering conflict in the region prevented FLO-CERT inspectors from traveling to DRC. The cooperative became officially Fair Trade certified in July.
The high coffee quality, in conjunction with effective marketing, has been the key to the organization's success. Investments have been made at every level, including on farm coffee rehabilitation, processing infrastructure, and business and governance capacity. While in 2009 SOPACDI exported only 15 tons of coffee, it managed to increase the volume to 76.8 tons last year and is even expected to double that amount by December. Major UK retailer Sainsbury’s added it to its coffee selection. Earlier this year a limited edition DRC and Malawi coffee blend, including SOPACDI’s coffee, was successfully launched by the retailer for Fair Trade Fortnight and Red Nose Day. Today, demand for SOPACDI’s coffee, which is marketed by Twin Trading, exceeds its supply, with interest from other traders in the US and Japan.
Over 600 of SOPACDI’s 3,200 producer members are women. Many of these women farmers are widows who have lost their husbands in the war or by drowning in their attempt to smuggle coffee across Lake Kivu. From the outset, the cooperative has been concerned about the particular difficulties faced by these widows - the Woman’s Committee already has a representative on the organization's board. But now, as part of a program rolled out by the Fair Trade organization, Twin, SOPACDI plans to take matters a step further. Like in many African countries, rural women play an important role in agriculture in the Congo. However, as most land is owned by men, they remain economically dependent and have limited access to credit. Twin’s empowerment project will help a number of cooperatives like SOPACDI to install gender equity and equality in all their activities. In addition, Twin supports the development of a market for woman’s coffee so that women farmers can benefit directly from the crops they produce.
The market development for SOPACDI’s coffee produced by women was first created in 2009, when high quality roaster, Matthew Algie, traded a small special edition of the cooperative’s coffee in Scotland. The marketing campaign, which was also rolled out online, focused on the stories of the women farmers. From the sale, SOPACDI’s women received 1,481 USD as Premium (40 cents/lb).
‘We need more support to ensure women are able to build their individual capacity so we are better prepared to take care of our families. Congolese women often are alone on this journey,’ Immaculee concludes.
SOPACDI’s case has proven that the market interest for specialty products like coffee produced by women is real, providing that the quality is of the highest standard. As sales grow it will be important to find a level of premium that has an impact on women, while still remaining economically attractive to roasters. Woman’s empowerment also requires a more structural change, which goes beyond woman's premiums. Twin is now engaging with SOPACDI and other cooperatives in the Great Lakes region to introduce a gender methodology that will enable them to engage farmers, both men and women, in analyzing, assessing and changing their gender roles to improve their livelihoods and their business in a sustainable way.
Quotable
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The premium we received is still small compared to the necessities, but it has already helped us with some basic needs. For the first time, we were able to get together and buy each woman farmer 3 kg of salt and two blocks of Tembo soap. We need more support to ensure women are able to build their individual capacity so we are better prepared to take care of our families. Congolese women often are alone on this journey. ” Immaculee Nimavu Musangi, one of the women leaders
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Programs
Investing in Women in the Congo
From this year onwards, a woman’s premium is being paid on all purchases of SOPACDI coffee. In recognition of the fact that 20% of SOPACDI’s membership is female, roasters pay a 10 cents/lb premium on 20% of the coffee they buy (thus adding 2 cents/lb to the overall price they pay for SOPACDI coffee). The women farmers have already prioritized their needs once the 2011 premiums are available – an estimated $8,000 (USD). A common shelter needs to be built, school fees paid, coffee fields maintained and medical expenses paid. The women would also like to be more engaged in the regional economy.
