RWANDA - MUSHONYI
Despite its turbulent history, today Rwanda is one of the specialty coffee world’s darlings – for good reason!
FARM: Mushonyi Washing Station
VARIETAL: Red Bourbon
PROCESSING: Experimental Washed
ALTITUDE: 1,800 to 1,950 meters above sea level
REGION: Rutsiro District, Western Province
TASTING NOTES: Ripe Candied Apple, Ripe Sunkist, Sweet Caramel Candy
Mushonyi washing station is situated just one kilometer away from the shores of Lake Kivu. The 1,200 growers that deliver cherry to this station live and farm on the hills surrounding Mushonyi.
Mushonyi was originally built by the army. At the time, the army anticipated high volumes of cherry, and they built to size. The station has eight fermentation tanks, a standard washing channel, and a cherry sorting shed for additional sorting before the cherry is pulped. Sucafina in Rwanda maintains this infrastructure in pristine condition, even in years when the washing station’s capacity exceeds the volume of cherry delivered.
CULTIVATION
In the hills surrounding Mushonyi, the altitude can vary from a low of 1,600 meters to a high of 1,950 meters above sea level. Farmers, on average, cultivate only about 300 coffee trees on their small plots. Many also intercrop bananas, eucalyptus, and cassava to generate additional income.
HARVEST & POST-HARVEST
After purchasing cherry from producers, Mushonyi sends the cherry through a strict sorting process. First, washing station staff remove any lower-quality cherry through flotation. Then, a specially trained staff visually inspects the remaining cherry for any visual defects.
After intake, the cherry is placed in GranPro bags and sealed to ferment anaerobically for 24 hours. To maintain consistency, each bag is filled with 60kg of cherry, and all bags are kept in a controlled environment to ensure uniform fermentation.
Following fermentation, the cherry is pulped using a disc pulper. Each bag is pulped separately and records are maintained to track each batch of coffee separately. Coffee is placed in fermentation tanks and fermented for an additional 24 hours before being washed in clean water to remove any remaining mucilage. Parchment is laid on raised
beds to sundry. Workers visually hand-sort drying parchment to remove any damaged or defective beans. They also rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 21 days for parchment to dry.
This unique processing method creates a balanced yet complex profile that will challenge roasters in the competition. When roasted skillfully, this coffee is truly delicious and nuanced.
COFFEE IN RWANDA
Despite its turbulent history, today Rwanda is one of the specialty coffee world’s darlings – for good reason!
German missionaries and settlers brought coffee to Rwanda in the early 1900s. Largescale coffee production was established during the 1930 & 1940s by the Belgian colonial government. Coffee production continued after the Belgian colonists left. By 1970, coffee had become the single largest export in Rwanda and accounted for 70% of total export revenue. Coffee was considered so valuable that, beginning in 1973, it was illegal to tear coffee trees out of the ground.
Between 1989 and 1993, the breakdown of the International Coffee Agreement (ICA) caused the global price to plummet. The Rwandan government and economy took a hard hit from low global coffee prices. The 1994 genocide and its aftermath led to a complete collapse of coffee exports and vital USD revenue, but the incredible resilience of the Rwandan people is evident in the way the economy and stability have recovered since then. Modern Rwanda is considered one of the most stable countries in the region. Since 2003, its economy has grown by 7-8% per year and coffee production has played a key role in this economic growth. Coffee has also played a role in Rwanda's significant advancements towards gender equality. New initiatives that cater to women and focus on helping them equip themselves with the tools and knowledge for farming have been changing the way women view themselves and interact with the world around them.
Today, smallholders propel the industry in Rwanda forward. The country doesn’t have any large estates. Most coffee is grown by the 400,000+ smallholders, who own less than a quarter of a hectare. The majority of Rwanda’s coffee production is Arabica. Bourbon variety plants comprise 95% of all coffee trees cultivated in Rwanda.
