The tiny country of Rwanda is beautiful. Trapped between Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda is a country of green hills, mighty volcanos, dense forests, and the vast Lake Kivu. Known as the “land of a thousand hills”, its population of 11.7 million is squeezed into 26,338 km2 of land. Rwanda has experienced its share of trauma and … [Read more...]
How fairtrade coffee supports the DRC
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is arguably Africa’s most rich and diverse country with vast mineral reserves, highly fertile land, beautiful scenery, and vibrant wildlife. It is also a country plagued with conflict and unrest. The DRC has a traumatic history of violence and war, which has had a disastrous impact on the country’s population and economy. The Congolese … [Read more...]
Kaldi’s goats discover coffee in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. It was discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi in the 11th century. Kaldi’s goats ate some coffee cherries and became energised and as a result, Kaldi gave the cherries a try and was delighted to experience the same effect. Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the cherries and found that … [Read more...]
Ethical Coffee Part 1: How to drink a cuppa that matters
On the journey towards regenerative living you transition from consumer to conserver. You want all your shopping to serve a greater purpose. Where does it come from, how was it produced, how were the workers treated? How can us coffee drinkers ensure that our drink or purchase is as close to harmless as possible? There are different criteria here – organic, shade-grown and … [Read more...]
DAILY GREEN DAY 1: one year of tuning into the miracle
Creation is a miracle – a perfectly ordered conglomeration of atoms designed with intent! Even if you regard it as random, it’s a pretty awesome coincidence, don’t you think? And you get to be part of it, for a split second in the eons of time. At the foot of the New Year I am grateful for my little spot in this cosmic dance. The greatest work of art and I get to be a … [Read more...]
Green coffee goes the extra mile
The latest diet fad to hit the country is the green coffee bean! Klaus Becker, Managing Director of Caturra is taking “green” coffee to an all time high here in South Africa. In the long run this will be worth its weight in gold for the planet. Caturra has recently rolled out its compostable packaging for its complete range of espresso, filter and organic coffees. The new … [Read more...]
Zuma urges return to the land
South African president Jacob Zuma urged millions of South Africans to return to the land as a way to augment income and reduce food insecurity. Speaking in late October at a dinner hosted by the recently-launched African Farmers Association of South Africa, Zuma said his government would continue to promote food gardens and other types of subsistence agriculture for people to … [Read more...]
Small farmers benefit from fairtrade coffee
All coffee sold at Woolworths Cafés are certified Fairtrade, as of May 2012. This will double the amount of Faitrade certified coffee on sale in South Africa and is another milestone on Woolworths' ambitious Good Business Journey. Woolworths Cafés have served certified organic coffee for some time. The coffee is made from African Arabica beans, grown by small-scale farms in … [Read more...]
