Cyato Washed

Abadatezuka Cooperative is a group of smallholders growers in the Western Province in Rwanda. The farmers grow coffee at high elevations up to 2200 masl. Their farms are small with an average of 250 to 350 trees. Besides coffee, farmers also plant maize, beans and sorghum but coffee is the main cash crop. They also keep goats and chickens, whose manure can be used as fertilizer.

Having a lower harvest yield, the growers sell their cherries to the Cyato washing station, which then are processed and sold to the specialty coffee buyers. The washing station was built in 2017 and is located near Lake Kivu at 1850 masl. It is operated by Tropic Coffee Company and serves more than 25 coffee growers.

Located near lake Kivu, the surrounding farms are blessed with nutrient-rich and sandy soil that nourish coffee trees. The lake also contributes to the cool and steady climate throughout the year that helps the cherry in slow ripening which results in sweeter coffee.

The area is also home to Nyungwe Forest, one of the oldest rainforests in Central Africa. Because of that the are is rich variety of native animals including the native bees. The bees have been an integral part of the pollination. It helped increase production yield up to 60%, and it's believed that they are responsible for the unique flavour profile from this area.