“My expectation is that if Tom’s Green Coffee maintains their buying price and even adds more, I will be able to educate my ten children who are still in school; as only the two older children have graduated so far.”
–Joram Matsereka Katikaimu
Joram Matsereka Katikaimu is fifty five years old farmer, born and raised in Ruboni, where he stays. Mzee Matsereka is a father of twelve, whose first child was born in 1991. Mzee Masereka has sold seventyfive kilograms of red cherries to TGC so far, and he is excited because TGC’s prices are better than those of the buyers he has been selling to previously. Whilst other buyers’ prices range from between 1700 UGX (0.45 USD) to 1900 UGX (0.50 USD), TGC’s own is between 2200 UGX (0.58 USD) and 2500 UGX (0.66 USD). In a year, Mzee Masereka can harvest and sell at least one thousand (1000) kilograms, which he says is quite little, as each bag of red cherries weighs at least 100 kilograms and sometimes slightly more. Mzee Masereka’s coffee plantation stands on a one acre square foot property, and in there, the coffee is grown along with green bananas, locally known as matooke.
“Mzee Matsereka, do you think that Ruboni Organic Coffee Farmer’s Association has a future in this community and do you think it will last?” Our writer asked, and to quote Mzee Masereka precisely, his response was that; “ROCFA will last for as long as coffee is still grown in the Ruboni Community.”
Sustainable aid to finances
Mzee Matsereka is also excited about ROCFA’s goal which is to empower the Association’s members economically through a SACCO, which will be lending money to farmers for for example equipment investments and education and to get through hard times. They will pay back after harvests and sales. To Mzee Masereka, this will enable his household pay school fees on time, handle health emergencies better, and even be able to buy food in seasons of famine and droughts, as there will be a trusted source of income. As farmers, they will be accountable and trusted to be reliable and return the association’s money in due season.
Well, for Mzee Matsereka’s original wish that the payments would stay the same or even increase – that wish became reality. Tom’s Green Coffee just increased the rate for red coffee cherries for the farmers even more!
