Coopérative Agricole Tujenge Kivu
CAT Kivu is giving women the status and support they need to realise their significance in the community, and is giving the environment the attention it needs to be a healthy place to live and grow top quality coffee.
Founded in
2020
Location
South of the Province du Nord Kivu
Altitude
1,545m to 2,800m
Membership
600 producers
(230 women and 370 men)
Green coffee production capacity / year
57.6 tonnes
Average size of land per farmer
0.05 hectares
Varieties
Bourbon
Grades
K3
Certifications
N/A
Coming soon…
video from CAT Kivu
Headquarter
Territoire de Masisi, chefferie de Bahunde, Groupement Mupfuni shanga, Village de Bishange, Province du Nord Kivu
Infrastructure
1 washing station: Bishange
and 1 micro washing station: Kiluku
Management team
1 manager, 1 accountant, 1 person in charge of marketing & sales
5 members in the board of directors
3 members in the board of control
Technical team
1 supervisor in charge of certifications & the agronomists, 4 agronomists and 11 technicians in the washing stations during harvest time
Main harvest period
February to August
Export period of main harvest
October
Coopérative Agricole Tujenge
Kivu
The Cooperative Agricole Tujenge Kivu, CAT Kivu, was founded in 2020. Coffee growers in the community, aware of gaps in their agronomic knowledge, formed the cooperative in order to get technical training in seed selection and coffee traceability, so that they could produce specialty coffee and increase revenue.
The cooperative promotes sustainable agriculture by making compost from cherry pulp, lime and titonia, which it distributes to its members as organic fertiliser for their coffee plantations.
A team of agronomists also advise coffee farmers on good agricultural practices and on the benefits of planting and maintaining trees in their plantations to combat global warming.
The cooperative aims to develop social initiatives to respond to five objectives:
•Reduce poverty
•Establish gender equality
•Access to clean water
•Protection of the environment to make it sustainable
•Good governance
To achieve these objectives, the cooperative has created a village savings and credit association, which converts individual risks into collective risks, making it easier for members to access financial resources for their children's education and medical care. Additionally, the cooperative provides jobs in washing stations to women.
CAT Kivu takes seriously the promotion of gender equality. Before the cooperative's work, women were marginalized and undervalued. Now they participate in community decision-making. The majority of the day labourers working in the washing stations are women, and the vice-president of CAT Kivu is a woman.
NEEMA ISONGA Lydie Neema Isonga, Vice president of board of directors
The cooperative works to improve the socio-economic life of its members and the wider community.
Reducing poverty, with better access to finances for education and medical care.
Improving access to clean water and protecting the environment.
Promoting real gender equality, through women’s equal participation in decision making and through female led leadership.
CAT KIVU - drying tables in washing station - Picture by Glody Murhabazi
CAT KIVU - Dorcas Buyindu sorting coffee - Picture by Glody Murhabazi
CAT KIVU - women sorting coffee - Picture by Glody Murhabazi
CAT KIVU - members sorting coffee - Picture by Glody Murhabazi
Patrick Pandasi, manager of CAT KIVU - Picture by Glody Murhabazi
CAT KIVU - drying tables - Picture by Glody Murhabazi
Office - Picture by Glody Murhabazi
CAT KIVU - Neema, Vice President of Board of directors
Contact
Patrick Pandas | Manager | tujengecoopagri@gmail.com