Honeyking Ltd. incorporated in 2010 in Tanzania majors in forest beekeeping and organic honey processing. / Activities / Products: Honey Organic grocery products Others / Client Targets: Retail/Trade
The Karagwe District Cooperative Union (KDCU) Ltd, was founded in 1990, after seperating from The Kagera Cooperative Union. This came as a response to the need of Karagwe district farmers to own a Union that would be able to service their members within manageable distances. We welcome you to our website and hope that it will broaden your understanding of our Union and encourage you to participate on any of a variety of levels. For us, the Union represents a bright light on the future of the district, a vehicle for meaningful agricultural and community support and the platform on which we will build a more prosperous tomorrow. An Overview KDCU Ltd, is mandated to collect and market coffee on behalf of its 76 Rural Primary Society (RPS) members. There are some 20,000 individual members in the 76 RPS, of which some 16,000 are men and 4,000 women members. KDCU is fighting hard to change this ratio, to eventually raise women participation and membership in cooperative movements. This drive is intended at putting the fact that it is the women who contribute greatly big %age of farm work and especially coffee production, but have little decision on the coffee proceeds. KDCU Ltd collects unwashed Robusta and Arabica from RPSs. Farmers harvest ripe berries between June to September and dry them over a period of up to 2 weeks, depending on the intensity of sunshine. Dry cherries are then taken for sale to the RPSc, before being taken by KDCU to a central processing facility, owned by the union. The facility has an installed capacity of an output capacity of 100Mt of clean graded coffee in 24 hour bouts. The facility is equipped with a drier which helps to bring the coffee moisture to agreed limits. Karagwe coffee is marketed as Karagwe Robusta/Arabica Fair-trade Coffee. Marketing coffee can be through auctions which are conducted weekly by the Tanzania Coffee Board in Moshi or through the other window, direct export. Karagwe coffee is exported to mainly Europe, shipped from August each year. Main existing buyers are; Coffee Team (The Netherlands), Complete Coffee (UK), Schluter SA (Switzerland), A Van Weely (The Netherlands), Cafedirect (UK). Fairtrade market constitute 15-20%. Organization KDCU Ltd is directed by the Annual General Meeting, while direct decision issues are mandated to the Board of Directors. Currently, there are 7 board members, 6 male 1 female. The Board of directors is assisted on the ground by the Management headed by the General Manager. The Management oversees the day to day activities of the Union. Certifications KDCU Ltd became Fair-trade certified in 1990s, This certification has helped her members to enjoy a fair-trade market in Europe and get premiums. The premium has been put into many uses and helped the society. Such uses are: A Secondary School construction and running, establishment and maintenance of woodlots (60ha), seedlings distribution to members at subsidized prices, second payments, supporting extension of the processing facility, water harvesting structures, society offices and stores construction (not exhaustive list). The benefits accruing from using Fair-Trade premiums and own resources, have contributed to bring awareness in gender issues, helped to mitigate climatic changes and general environment degradation checking. Currently, KDCU Ltd is under in-conversion towards certification as organic producer. Investments Through years of business, KDCU has invested in real estate (Coffee Tree Inn), processing facility, a secondary school and has shares in different financial institutions and facilities. These are mortgaged when bank loans are sought and help the Union access capital to meet coffee purchases, an exercise which requires substantial amounts of cash over short periods. // Activities / Products: Fair trade products (359) // Our Coffee, Our Coffee, Our Coffee, Our Coffee
Kagera Co-operative Union (KCU) is based in Bukoba, Tanzania. Last year the company exported 460 tons of organic fair trade Robusta coffee. Of this coffee, 48 tons were sent to Tnica for production of organic instant coffee. Fair trade organizations are buyers of this coffee, and most of the organic coffee exported is sold as organic and fair trade. The project involves approximately 3,500 farmers, who receive 50%, and higher, premium for their organic coffee. A Win-Win Project Kagera Co-Operative Union (KCU) participate in the EPOPA project to enhance their export of organic coffe from Bukoba in Tanzania. They get assistance in fi nding buyers and to get the product certifi ed. In return they implement the project. Target group The direct target groups are the farmer communities in the Ibwera and Kachwezi areas, comprising of 3,500 organic smallholder farmers. The Kagera Co-operative Union, including the fi eld staff also benefi t from the project. Expected results By the end of May 2005, Annual exports 500 tons of organic certifi ed Robusta green beans and 15 tons of instant coffee. 5,000 farmers receive a 20% higher income compared to conventional 4 groups of 40 farmers have been trained to be farmers-trainers. 25% of the farmers to have started to rejuvenate their farms. 25% of the farms have introduced and actively maintain improved organic farm practices resulting in a 20% production increase. Profile of Kagera farmers Land holdings are very small in the region. On average a homestead has 2.4 acres of land; of which 1.6 acres is cultivated. The age of the coffee trees is very high with the majority being over 50 years old. The average homestead has 2.4 adults and 3.5 children. Only 9% of the sample farmers own cattle. The total income of the average homestead is approx. Tsh 320,000 (US$ 320). The living standards of the rural farmers is quite typical with 66% living in semi permanent buildings while only one in three having access to a bicycle. // Activities / Products: Drinks (637) Coffee (118) // Robusta Coffe, Organic Arabica Coffee, Organic Instant Coffee
Ginger, Garlic, Sim Sim, Moringa, Honey, Cinnamon, Tumeric
Organic Teas, Organic Herbs(Camomile), Organic Herbs(Lemon Verbena), Organic Herbs(Peppermint)
