The government, through the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), is moving to introduce five climate-resilient coffee varieties, including the internationally acclaimed specialty variety Geisha, as part of efforts to boost production and help farmers cope with climate change. The varieties, developed with support from World Coffee Research (WCR), are advancing to commercial trials under Rwanda's formal variety release process. Once approved, they will become available for wider distribution to coffee farmers. Simon Martin Mvuyekure, a Senior Coffee Breeding Research Fellow at RAB, said the introduction of the new varieties comes at a critical time for Rwanda's coffee sector, where 39 per cent of coffee trees are more than 30 years old. He said most farmers continue to grow traditional varieties that are vulnerable to climate change, coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease (CBD), making the introduction of improved varieties increasingly important. The new varieties were selected specifically for resilience under these pressures. This is the payoff of years of rigorous trial work: coffee trees suited to Rwanda's changing climate and to the quality our farmers are already known for. They are climate-resilient, market-responsive coffee varieties for farmers, he said. According to Mvuyekure, the five varieties produced approximately five kilogrammes of coffee cherries per tree during the trials, compared with about two kilogrammes for some older varieties. RAB expects to complete the formal release process over the coming growing seasons, after which the approved varieties will become available for wider distribution to farmers. The introduction of the improved varieties is expected to support Rwanda's efforts to increase coffee production and export earnings. In 2025, Rwanda's coffee exports reached a record $148.6 million, a 65 per cent increase from the previous year, according to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB). An estimated 350,000 smallholder farming households depend on coffee for their livelihoods. However, climate change, coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease continue to threaten production. Mvuyekure warned that without better-adapted varieties reaching farmers on a large scale, Rwanda risks losing ground in the international specialty coffee market. The introduction of improved varieties is also expected to support the government's National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), which targets 32,000 tonnes of coffee exports and $192 million in export revenue by 2029. ALSO READ: Replacing aging trees to boost Rwanda’s coffee exports Coffee farmers welcome new varieties Agnes Mukamushinja, the head of Nova Coffee Ltd, a coffee-growing and processing company in Gicumbi District, welcomed the development, saying farmers need varieties that can withstand changing climatic conditions while maintaining high cup quality. The varieties that are resistant to climate change are needed. We have one variety called RAB C15 that is producing more and resisting [diseases]. We need more of such coffee varieties that have quality taste, she said. Nova Coffee currently grows coffee on five hectares and plans to expand its operations. Mukamushinja said the company also relies on coffee cherries supplied by farmers and needs increased production to support its processing activities. We mainly work with farmers who supply us with cherries. We process between 900 and 1,500 tonnes of coffee cherries per year. We need to increase production, she added. ALSO READ: Govt in renewed effort to increase coffee production Eight years of research and trials The five varieties are the result of years of research and field trials conducted through a partnership between RAB and World Coffee Research. Since 2015, the two organisations have collaborated on coffee breeding, variety performance trials and germplasm collection. Rwanda has hosted the International Multilocation Variety Trial (IMLVT) at three sites — Huye, Rubona and Ngoma — since 2018. The IMLVT is the world's largest Arabica coffee variety performance trial, bringing together researchers to assess how different coffee varieties perform under varying climatic conditions. The trials examine factors such as rising temperatures and increasingly variable rainfall, which are among the challenges facing Rwandan coffee farmers. Funded by more than 200 coffee companies worldwide through World Coffee Research, the programme has generated eight years of data in Rwanda on yield, disease resistance and cup quality. Rwandan coffee scientists have used the findings to identify varieties with the potential to perform well under both current and future climatic conditions. Jennifer Vern Long, CEO of World Coffee Research, said the advancement of the varieties towards commercial release demonstrates the value of sustained investment in agricultural research. This is what a decade of shared, rigorous science is for — not research for its own sake, but new varieties reaching real farmers, at scale, in time to matter, she said. Rwanda is beloved by coffee buyers and consumers worldwide; bringing these varieties from IMLVT trials into commercial release pathways expands options not only for farmers, but also for the export markets that place a high value on Rwandan coffee, Long added. ALSO READ: How high prices buoyed Rwanda coffee exports What makes the five varieties different? Among the five varieties advancing towards commercial release is Geisha, one of the world's most highly regarded specialty coffee varieties. Originally from Ethiopia and made famous in Panama, Geisha is prized for its distinctive floral and jasmine-like flavour profile and commands premium prices in the international specialty coffee market. Its introduction could provide Rwandan farmers with additional opportunities to access high-value export markets. RAB is also advancing four other varieties selected for their high productivity, strong resistance to coffee leaf rust and adaptability to Rwanda's changing climate. Together, the five varieties are expected to give farmers more options for managing climate-related risks, improving productivity and responding to market demand. Bourbon and Typica are among the traditional coffee varieties commonly grown in Rwanda. Although valued for their cup quality, they are vulnerable to diseases such as coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease, exposing farmers to potential crop losses. The five new varieties are entering commercial trials under RAB's formal variety release procedure, which assesses their performance before they can be recommended and distributed to farmers nationwide. The same process led to the release of RAB C15 in 2015, a variety resistant to coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease. RAB also participates in World Coffee Research's global Arabica and Robusta breeding networks, which aim to develop and test high-performing coffee varieties for farmers.
