From coffee exporters to sustainability entrepreneurs: how Kawacom is revitalising the African coffee community

Founded in 1996, Kawacom was ECOM’s first operation in Africa and focused initially on the export of natural Uganda Robusta coffees. However, motivated by the changes in global weather patterns and increasingly aware of the untapped possibilities of sustainable coffee farming, we decided to venture into sustainable coffee production, and soon our operations included fully washed and natural Arabicas.

Pioneering and learning

We believe that coffee should be grown with respect for people and the environment. To do that, you have to share knowledge. We have supported farmers across the Ugandan coffee community with services including centralised processing, the provision of clean planting material and community development activities with a focus on gender inclusion.

Better farming, better results

From an initial 6,000 farmers involved in 3 sustainability projects, we now have over 60,000 farmers engaging in 12 projects, all certified under the globally recognised certification standards of Organic, Rainforest Alliance and Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices (CAFÉ), which is Starbucks’ in-house label. These projects have resulted in a steady increase in productivity per tree, yield per acre, farmer income and livelihoods.

Innovating for a secure future

Today, Kawacom continues to evolve and diversify. Our expansion into other crops including sesame, cocoa and soybean, together with our focus on climate-smart interventions that increase biodiversity, soil fertility, water retention and cleanliness, will all help us move nearer to our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.