Page 63 - CTI94_EN

C

roses and pineapples. This coffee is very aromatic, struc-
tured, well balanced with honey and candy-like sweetness.
It is very sweet, clean and transparent with a smooth
mouthfeel. The farmers story, once upon a time, in the
lush, rolling hills of Rwanda’s Northern Province, twelve
dedicated farmers worked the land with unwavering
determination. Among them was Rafael Karasi, the re-
spected representative of this close-knit group. Rafael,
along with his fellow farmers, lived in the picturesque
district of Gicumbi, specifically in the Giti Sector, Tanda
Cell. Their most prized possession was a thriving plan-
tation of 1,678 coffee trees.
The farmers’ journey with coffee cultivation had
been a blend of tradition and innovation. They had re-
cently benefited from rigorous training sessions that fo-
cused on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Integrat-
ed Pest Management (IPM). These sessions empowered
them with knowledge on how to nurture their coffee trees
to perfection, ensuring a high-quality harvest. When the
coffee cherries reached their peak ripeness, the farmers
harvested them with care. Rafael, along with his peers,
knew the importance of swift processing. Within just eight
hours of harvesting, they transported their coffee cherries
to the Nova Coffee Washing Station, a renowned facility
known for its meticulous processing standards. For this
season, the collective efforts of the twelve farmers cul-
minated in an impressive yield of 5,033 kilograms of
Consumers, roasters and importers alike are looking coffee cherries. Cherries were received with great antic-
for unique profiles which offer quality and diverse sen- ipation. The decision was made to process the coffee
sory experiences. Rwanda is working tirelessly to en- using the anaerobic method, a technique known for en-
hance growing techniques and global market reach, hence hancing the beans’ unique flavors and aromas. The entire
Best of Rwanda. process was supervised with the utmost care by Eric
Best of Rwanda, titled internally as “CUP Rwanda” Yankurije, the Quality Manager, and Therese Uwingabire,
is a project for strengthening the coffee value chain with- the Manager of the Washing Station. Under their watchful
in the country and upgrading promotions through mar- eyes, the coffee underwent a meticulous transformation,
ket-oriented approaches, such as Best of Rwanda. With ensuring that every bean retained its exceptional quality.
the launch of Best of Rwanda, farmers are motivated to The partnership between the twelve farmers and
enhance the quality of their specialty coffee, with value Nova Coffee Washing Station exemplified the power of
addition to produce and market development. collaboration and dedication. Through their combined
Two hundred ninety-seven samples were submitted, efforts, they produced coffee that was not only a source
coded and cupped by a calibrated national jury. Of those, of pride for their community but also a testament to the
120 samples moved into the next round. Again, coffees excellence that can be achieved through knowledge, hard
were roasted and blind cupped by the national jury. Eighty work and a shared vision. And so, the story of Rafael
samples scoring 87 and above were roasted and cupped Karasi and his fellow farmers continued, a story of growth,
and the top 40 moved onto the International Jury, which learning, and the pursuit of excellence, all nestled in the
was composed of 7 countries, China, Japan, South Korea, heart of Rwanda’s coffee-rich lands.
USA, Bulgaria, Italy and Rwanda. The coffees were re- This lot, and others like it, was auctioned on Septem-
corded, roasted and cupped again through three rounds. ber 12. There was no cost to the farmer as an entry fee and
Top forty became the top 25. Of which 19 samples were proceeds from the sale of the coffees at auction will be
awarded Best of Rwanda. The cuppers notes from the first forwarded to the farmers. Join us in celebrating Rwanda
place coffee read: Exotic coffee with hints of whiskey, coffee excellence. Register for the auction and learn about
yellow dry fruits, mango, peaches, blueberry, raspberry, the winning lots at XXX CFTUPGSXBOEB DPN

62 63