KCU
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KCU is located in the Kagera region of Tanzania, and members are based in the Muleba and Bukoba districts.
KCU was Cafédirect’s first trading partner in this isolated region of Tanzania, and the relationship led to Cafédirect purchasing from its sister organisation KDCU in 1994. KCU’s objectives are to mobilise members to produce sufficient quality coffee, market members’ coffee, ensure prompt payment, and promote education in the region.
The organisation has an organic conversion programme with farming communities in Ibwera and Kachwezi. The number of farmers either certified organic or in the process of organic conversion is more than 10,000. KCU were the first exporters of organic coffee from Tanzania and are the largest supplier of organic Robusta coffee to the Fairtrade market.
Our Producer Partnership Programme partner, Twin, jointly with the Fairtrade Association (FTA) in the Netherlands, is currently involved in a major organisational strengthening initiative with KCU, to examine the respective roles of members, primary societies and the union, and the relationships between these three constituencies of the co-operative. The objective is to increase mutual understanding and communication at all levels in order to improve business performance and the long-term sustainability of the co-operative structure.
Photos of organisational strengthening workshops can be seen on the right.
