From World-Class Cup of Excellence to Sustainable Growth: Burundi and CFC Forge Stronger Partnership for Speciality Coffee Sector
14 May 2025, Amsterdam – H.E. Ms. Isabelle Ndahayo, Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, paid a visit to the CFC Secretariat today, where she was warmly received by the Managing Director of the CFC, Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal. Ambassador Isabelle was accompanied by Mr. Stany Muhizi, First Counsellor from the Embassy of Burundi. The meeting celebrated Burundi's remarkable achievements in specialty coffee while exploring innovative ways to overcome persistent challenges in the sector.
Ambassador Belal congratulated Burundi for its outstanding performance in the prestigious Cup of Excellence competition, where Burundian coffees consistently score above 90 points - a testament to their exceptional quality featuring notes of black tea, stone fruit, and vibrant citrus. He highlighted how CFC played a pivotal role in conceiving and implementing the Cup of Excellence initiative, which has revolutionized quality recognition for smallholder producers.
Ambassador Isabelle also shared the challenges that smallholders in Burundi has been facing in the production, storage, processing of commodities like cocoa, avocado, banana, pineapple etc and sought help from the Common Fund for technical assistance to help sustainable production and diversification through innovations and digitisations.
The discussion acknowledged the unique hurdles facing Burundi's coffee sector that North Star Roast's reporting has brought to light:
- The logistical nightmare of transporting coffee from remote hillside washing stations
- Chronic underinvestment in processing equipment
- The need for more efficient drying techniques to combat unpredictable weather
Ambassador Belal emphasized how CFC's planned $10 million ACT Fund window could specifically address these challenges through:
- Modernizing transportation infrastructure for coffee cherries
- Funding advanced processing equipment at washing stations
- Implementing climate-resilient drying solutions
Ambassador Ndahayo shared compelling insights from the field, noting how Burundi's coffee sector represents not just an economic opportunity but a cultural heritage, with:
- Smallholder farmers tending coffee trees passed down through generations
- The unique "fully washed" processing method that creates Burundi's signature clean, complex flavours
- The growing movement of women-led coffee cooperatives transforming communities
Humanizing Value Chains: A Vision for Ethical Commerce
Ambassador Ndahayo expressed her highest appreciation for CFC's groundbreaking "Humanizing Value Chains" initiative, stating: "When young consumers understand that our smallholders receive less than 2% of the price of the coffee they sip, the chocolate they cherish, or the garments they adore, it will revolutionize ethical consumption." She emphasized her absolute certainty that transparency in value chains would create transformative change.
"Ambassador Belal and CFC deserve our highest appreciation for conceiving this visionary concept," Ambassador Ndahayo continued. "We would be thrilled to see CFC identify suitable partners to pilot this initiative at the earliest opportunity, potentially through blockchain technology. Implementing this for Burundi's speciality coffee would create nothing short of grassroots euphoria finally connecting our farmers directly with the consumers who treasure their products."
Ambassador Belal concluded: "This partnership will make Burundi not just a producer of world-class coffee or cocoa, but a global model for ethical, transparent value chains that truly honour agricultural producers."
The meeting concluded with mutual assurances of support and a commitment to follow up on necessary actions in the coming days.
For media inquiries, please contact:
[CFC Media Relations Team]
[Email: managing.director@common-fund.org]
[Phone: +31 20 575 4949]