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Nespresso to invest $20m in DRC to support local coffee farmers
Rafaela Sousa

Rafaela Sousa

28 March 2024

Nespresso to invest $20m in DRC to support local coffee farmers

Nespresso plans to invest $20 million in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by 2026 to support local coffee farmers' access to global markets. Additionally, it aims to raise another $20 million to aid coffee-growing communities in Kivu. This initiative is part of the 'Nespresso Reviving Origins' programme, established a decade ago to restore coffee agriculture in threatened regions. Since its launch in 2020, the 'Nespresso Reviving Origins' programme in DRC has enabled the production of coffees from the Lake Kivu region, which has faced ongoing devastation "by decades of political and economic instability," said Nespresso. Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso, said: "Kivu has the potential to be among the world's great coffee regions but has faced extremely challenging conditions in recent years. Through our Reviving Origins programme, we work closely with Congolese farmers, and we have joined forces with partners including, Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI)/ASILI, TechnoServe, the US Agency for International Development, The Global Environment Facility, Clarmondial, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Virunga Coffee to restore and revitalise Kivu as a leading source of high-quality, exceptional Arabica coffee." "In the context of escalating violence in eastern DRC where access to water is becoming insufficient, water-borne illnesses have resurfaced and daily life is under significant upheaval, it is even more critical to help build community resilience, access to health care and clean water as well as support farmer livelihoods by continuing to give them access to the global market and empowering them in their agricultural transition." TechnoServe's CEO, William Warshauer, commented: "Nespresso's deep commitment to Kivu is creating lasting change in communities across the region. In our work together equipping farmers with the knowledge and market connections they need to thrive, we have seen the transformative impact that coffee can have in Kivu. We believe this initiative will help inspire other companies to invest there." Abraham Leno, executive director of ECI, added: "Since we started working together, we have built a large health centre and an entire water system in the farming community of Minova. Today, our medical team provides safe deliveries and gets hundreds of kids ready for school. More than 22,000 people from the local community have access to clean water and as displacement soars, we are a primary source of water for thousands of families fleeing violence. With the continued support from Nespresso, we aim to continue this work, expanding dignified and sustainable access to clean water and healthcare."

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