Sustainable Growers

Blog & Events

Stories from the field and spaces where the coffee system connects.

Where the Coffee System Connects

Our events bring together actors across the coffee value chain, from farmers and cooperatives to buyers and industry stakeholders.

strengthen relationships
create market opportunities
enable knowledge exchange

From field engagements to global forums like Let’s Talk Coffee, conversations turn into partnerships and partnerships into business.

Explore Events
Let’s Talk
Coffee
Annual forum · Kigali, Rwanda
Annual Forum
Let’s Talk Coffee

Rwanda’s premier coffee gathering -- bringing together farmers, buyers, roasters, government officials, researchers and agronomists to build relationships and open markets. Since 2013, each edition has deepened the connection between production and commerce.

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Field Engagement
Farmer Field Schools

Hands-on cooperative training sessions where women farmers learn coffee cultivation, quality standards, and post-harvest practices directly in the field.

Rwanda · DRC · TanzaniaOngoing
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Global Forum
Specialty Coffee Association

Cooperative leaders attend the SCA conference to build international buyer relationships, showcase Rwanda’s specialty coffee, and access global market knowledge.

InternationalAnnual
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Regional Forum
African Fine Coffees Association

Farmers and cooperative leaders participate in AFCA to connect with regional buyers, share expertise, and position Rwandan and DRC coffee within the African specialty sector.

East AfricaAnnual
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Stories from the Field

Step into the lives, challenges and innovations of the people growing a more equitable coffee future. Explore stories on climate resilience, women’s leadership, market access and Relationship Coffee in action.

Read the Latest Stories

Two spaces. One mission.

Stories from the Field shares real stories from farmers and cooperatives -- their experiences, challenges, successes and the impact of the work on their lives and communities.

Let’s Talk Coffee is a space for conversations and learning, where visitors can explore ideas, questions and expert perspectives about coffee, sustainability, climate and the future of the sector.

Women’s Leadership
Featured Story
From Peace Group to Coffee Entrepreneur

How TuK Cooperative transformed from a post-conflict unity circle into a market-linked business -- and what that shift meant for the women who built it, one harvest at a time.

Read the Full Story
Climate Resilience
Growing Through Change: Climate-Smart Farming in Gicumbi

Mayogi cooperative farmers share how shifting weather patterns are reshaping their calendar -- and the practices helping them adapt without sacrificing quality.

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Market Access
The First Time She Cupped Her Own Coffee

For one Nyampinga farmer, attending a cupping session wasn’t just training -- it was the moment she understood exactly what her work was worth.

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Relationship Coffee
A Buyer’s Return: Building Trust Across Seasons

What happens when a buyer comes back year after year? SCNPK cooperative members describe a partnership that changed not just prices, but confidence.

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Let’s Talk Coffee

A space for conversations and learning -- where visitors can explore ideas, questions and expert perspectives about coffee, sustainability, climate and the future of the sector.

Sustainability
What Does a Living Income Actually Mean for a Coffee Farmer?

The sector talks about living incomes -- but what does the number look like on the ground, and how far is the specialty premium from getting there?

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Climate
Climate Volatility and the Future of East African Coffee

As temperatures rise and rainfall becomes less predictable, what does the next decade look like for smallholder producers in Rwanda, DRC and Tanzania?

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Market Systems
Traceability as a Market Tool, Not Just a Compliance Exercise

Buyers increasingly ask for traceability -- but for cooperatives that have built it from the ground up, it’s become proof of quality and proof of trust.

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