ZIMBABWE
Nespresso is committing to Zimbabwe’s coffee industry with a long-term investment to boost the rural economy.
The international coffee company announced in early September that it will provide training and technical support for 400 smallholder farmers in partnership with Technoserve, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit. The goal is to improve the national production of quality, sustainable coffee.
Nespresso also said it expects to purchase 95% of Zimbabwe’s high-quality coffee produced by smallholders this season, spending $1.25 million over five years.
Zimbabwe’s coffee industry has suffered from a series of economic setbacks and, as a result, there has been a steep decline in production during the past 18 years. Exports were as high as 1 million 60-kilo bags in 1993, according to the International Coffee Organization. The total declined to 664,000 bags in 2017.
“We are investing in reviving coffee farming in different regions of the world, where adverse conditions have impacted the lives of farmers and their ability to grow and nurture their coffee industries,” Nespresso c.e.o. Jean-Marc Duvoisin said in a statement.
“Zimbabwe has a long history of producing beautiful coffees and we are pleased to be working with farmers through our AAA Sustainable Quality Program to help bring this industry back to life.”