Burundi – Migoti

Migoti Coffee is a Burundian coffee producer based in the Mutambu Commune of Bujumbura Province, Burundi. Founded in 2015 by engineers Pontien Ntunzwenimana and Dan Brose, Migoti Coffee aims to improve the livelihoods of local coffee farmers by connecting them with international buyers and roasters through quality processing and transparent supply chains. The company operates two coffee washing stations nestled in the mountains of the Bujumbura Rural Province and works with a growing number of smallholder farmers to produce high-quality coffee.

History

Coffee production in Burundi dates back to the early 1900s, introduced under Belgian colonial rule. Over time, the sector fluctuated between privatization and state control, particularly impacted by periods of civil conflict. In the 1990s, after a devastating civil war, the Burundian coffee sector faced significant challenges, including the neglect and destruction of coffee farms. Despite these hardships, coffee remained a key crop for economic recovery.

Migoti Coffee emerged in 2016, at a time when Burundi’s coffee industry was struggling to regain stability after a 12-year civil war and a subsequent political crisis in 2015. Engineers Dan Brose and Pontien Ntunzwenimana established the company with a vision to revitalise the local coffee economy and provide a sustainable income for the farmers in Pontien’s home region.

Operations and Impact

Migoti Coffee operates two washing stations, including the primary Migoti Mountain station and a secondary facility at Kinama, inaugurated in 2023. These stations process coffee cherries brought in by over 1,200 smallholder farmers from the surrounding highlands. The washing stations employ a combination of ten permanent staff and over 250 seasonal workers, primarily women, who manage the sorting, drying, and quality control processes. Migoti Coffee has steadily increased its output and quality, consistently receiving high cupping scores that place it among the top specialty coffees from Burundi.

The company prioritizes sustainable practices, educating farmers on techniques to enhance crop quality and yield. These include pruning, intercropping, and soil management. Migoti also provides coffee seedlings to local farmers, distributing approximately 30,000 per year since 2019. This initiative has increased both the quantity of coffee produced and the income for participating farmers, which has grown from 310 farmers in 2019 to 1,236 in 2023.

Environmental and Agricultural Practices

Migoti Coffee is dedicated to sustainable farming practices that address the biennial yield cycle of coffee in Burundi, a pattern where yearly yields alternate between high and low. The company promotes reforestation with shade trees, soil stabilisation, and mulching to enhance soil health and mitigate the effects of erratic rainfall and climate variability.

Although climate change has not yet had a significant impact on coffee production at Migoti’s high-altitude farms, the company is actively monitoring potential future threats. Research in the region suggests a likelihood of longer dry seasons, landslides, and shifting rainfall patterns, which Migoti aims to adapt to with resilient farming practices.

Community Development Initiatives

In 2023, Migoti introduced a micro-financing program that provides small loans to farmers, allowing them to invest in essential items without resorting to cash advances from independent coffee traders. This initiative supports farmers in maintaining financial stability throughout the year, reducing reliance on predatory lending practices that often undervalue the farmers’ coffee.

In addition to coffee, Migoti Coffee has launched an essential oils initiative. The company provides farmers with seeds for crops such as lemongrass, eucalyptus, and artemisia, which can be grown alongside coffee plants. These crops provide an additional income stream, as Migoti buys the harvested plants and processes them into essential oils. This diversification helps stabilize farmers’ incomes between coffee harvest seasons and increases the resilience of their farming practices.

In 2024, Migoti Coffee began constructing a water reservoir and pipe network near the Kinama washing station to address local water access issues. The project includes a 50 cubic meter reservoir and a hydraulic ram pump to transport water uphill to supply nearby communities. The initiative, expected to serve over 4,800 residents, will provide clean drinking water to local families, reduce waterborne diseases, and support better educational outcomes for girls who typically shoulder the responsibility of fetching water.