The Masha Coffee Story
The Masha coffee story explores the exciting experiences in the growing, harvesting, processing, preserving, and trading in coffee. Masha Coffee is a local partnership of about one thousand coffee farmers located in Sebei region on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, Uganda. Founded in 2016, Masha Coffee aims at improving coffee farmers’ sustainable household income through improved and sustainable farming practices, bulking, value addition and marketing.
Masha Coffee farmer members are organized in production groups in the three districts of Kapchorwa, Kween and Bukwo. The directors of Masha Coffee, together with the majority of cooperating farmers, are following a long tradition of coffee growing. Introduced into the region during the colonial period, coffee growing has been part of the local economy for a long time, sustaining livelihoods and fostering improved standards of living in the region. Masha Coffee is promoting this tradition by advocating for sustainable production of specialty coffee through incorporation of sound environmental practices, soil conservation and women & youth empowerment.
The Masha coffee-growing area is about 280km east of Kampala City, a 5-hour’s journey. The traditional Elgon Arabica coffee flourishes in the conducive conditions of dark fertile volcanic soils with rich mineral content, high altitude of 1,800m to 2,400m ASL and reliable rainfall in the region. The coffee is intercropped especially with bananas, other food crops and trees to provide shade as well as cross-pollination and enhance soil conservation.
