Burundi Coffee

A new day is dawning for Burundi.  This little country of Burundi in Africa is a tiny landlocked country just below the equator in Central Africa.  It has traditionally been a poor country with little industry and not much to export.  But growing fine coffee is changing that. Starbucks is coming.  Watch out Columbia!

Arabica coffee trees were introduced into Burundi by the Belgians in the early 1930's.  Burundi has been growing coffee since then, but only an average "commercial" grade that brings a lower price.  The altitude, climate and soil makes it possible to grow premium coffee there.  What they needed in recent years was peace from the civil war and some professional help in marketing. In the decade since the war ended, Burundi is recovering and with aid from the World Bank, coffee growing is getting to be a big thing.

The World Bank is developing pilot projects to lead the country's 800,000 coffee growers to success in farming, processing, transporting and marketing their coffee.  Seleus Nezerwe, coordinator of the project to improve coffee in Burundi said: "If we develop coffee, we are moving Burundi toward a new way of competitive thinking in the international market, and that is very important."

Buyers from the United States are visiting Burundi to sample their coffee.  Premium prices for specialty coffee would be a boon for the country.  When I lived in Burundi in simpler times, I wanted a coffee patch, and I got one.  I will tell you about it in my next blog.