Enhancing organic agroforestry systems and fair trade

Rwanda’s coffee production has grown significantly in recent years, strengthening the country’s position as a leading coffee producer in Africa. According to Rwanda’s National Agricultural Export Development Board, the sector provides livelihoods for more than 400,000 smallholder farmers and significantly contributes to export revenues. In the 2022/2023 fiscal year, Rwanda exported more than 20,000 metric tons of coffee, making it the country’s third most exported product.

As global demand for organic products and awareness of the environmental and health impacts of conventional farming rises, Rwanda is actively promoting organic agriculture. This approach to agriculture relies on sustainable farming practices and prohibits the use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms. It offers numerous environmental, health, and economic benefits including the improvement of soil health, reduction of exposure to chemicals for both farmers and consumers, as well as opportunities for employment and income increase for farmers due to higher revenues and access to more lucrative markets.

Despite significant progress, challenges remain in transitioning to organic farming practices. To support the shift in Rwanda’s coffee sector, Invest for Jobs partners with the German non-profit membership association Naturland – Verband für ökologischen Landbau e. V. to enhance the sustainability of coffee value chains, create new employment and improve the working conditions and income of smallholder coffee farmers.

The overall objective of the project is to create better livelihoods for Rwandan coffee farmers by improving organic farming practices, introducing agroforestry systems, and integrating fair trade principles in line with the association’s own Naturland standards. The project aims to create new employment opportunities and improve the working conditions and income of Rwandan coffee farmers as they enhance the quality and quantity of their coffee beans, become more competitive, and gain access to more lucrative organic and fair-trade premium markets. Additionally, the project seeks to strengthen biodiversity in agriculture and to enhance the climate resilience of farming practices. With the support of Invest for Jobs, Naturland is implementing this project based on two pillars:

Local capacity development: Naturland is supporting Rwandan coffee companies and cooperatives as well as their member farmers in their conversion towards organic agroforestry systems and in their adherence with social and labour standards. To this end, coffee partners are supported in establishing organic agroforestry systems through the provision of agroforestry tree seedlings that are suitable for intercropping with coffee. In addition, they are provided with compost inputs which are added to the coffee pulp to improve soil fertility, climate resilience and productivity. Moreover, Naturland sets up and trains conversion teams responsible for managing the transition of the coffee partners to agroforestry-based organic coffee production. Lastly, the coffee partners’ awareness of occupational health and safety is raised through trainings, and they are supported in improving the working conditions of their staff and member farmers.

Fair trade facilitation: As the Rwandan coffee partners convert to agroforestry-based and fair-trade coffee production, Naturland introduces them to suitable international coffee processors, roasters, and other buyers, thereby facilitating access to lucrative international niche markets. To support this endeavor, Naturland accompanies selected coffee partners to international trade fairs. In addition, the association facilitates buyer trips to Rwanda.

Before the official start of the project in July 2023, Naturland conducted a comprehensive market assessment and selected seven coffee companies and cooperatives with a total of 3,699 member farmers committed to implementing the Naturland and fair-trade standards.

Conversion teams have been set up at each of the seven coffee partners, with members participating in a dedicated mentoring and coaching programme. This has empowered them to lead the transition to agroforestry-based organic coffee production, guided by detailed transition plans tailored to each partner.

All 3,699 member farmers received comprehensive manuals as well as theoretical and practical training covering the entire process of conversion to agroforestry-based organic agriculture, including processes such as setting up compost units and improving tree nurseries. The coffee partners were provided with composting additive materials and a total of 49,000 tree seedlings. To ease the conversion process and allow for peer-to-peer learning, selected staff from the seven coffee partners visited a coffee producer in Uganda that is already certified against Naturland standards.

To facilitate access to international markets, Naturland supported the coffee partners through several market linkage activities. In February 2024 and 2025, several coffee partners participated and showcased their coffee at the BIOFACH Trade Fair for Organic Food in Germany. Moreover, the German coffee roaster Merchant & Friends conducted a buyer mission to Rwanda in July 2024, visiting the partner farms and processing units. Impressed by their activities, the buyer committed to purchasing from the coffee partners once they achieve certification against Naturland standards.

This project is implemented by Naturland – Verband für ökologischen Landbau e. V. with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as part of Invest for Jobs on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).