Sustainable Growers is building stronger links between African coffee farmers and global buyers, investors and technology partners as it seeks to help producers capture more value from the coffee trade.

The commitment came into focus as the three-day Global Coffee Conference 2026, organised by Sustainable Growers, concluded in Kigali on September 25.

Held under the theme "Build Together. Lead Globally,” the conference brought together coffee producers, cooperative leaders, buyers, investors, policymakers, researchers and other industry players from around the world.

Discussions focused on partnerships, technology, investment and market access, with sessions on artificial intelligence (AI), certification and finance, alongside a producers’ roundtable and practical masterclasses.

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Connecting farmers to global markets

A central message from the conference was the need to move beyond coffee production and ensure farmers benefit from value created further along the entire supply chain.

Aloys Mutabingwa, a board member at Sustainable Growers, said collaboration between farmers, cooperatives, buyers, governments, investors, researchers and technology experts will be critical to the sector’s future.

"The future of coffee cannot be built by one country, one organisation, one company or one part of the value chain. It has to be built together,” he said.

Mutabingwa said the conference was intended to lay the foundation for longer-term partnerships and investments beyond the event itself.

"This conference is not just about what happens here in Kigali. It is a process, it is a system, kick-started here and growing to become a global system,” he said.

He said the success of those efforts would ultimately be measured by tangible benefits for farmers and their communities.

The emphasis on direct engagement was also reflected in field visits on September 23, when more than 250 delegates visited coffee-growing communities in Karongi and Nyaruguru districts.

The delegates included international buyers from France, Italy, Ecuador and Finland, as well as producers from Tanzania and DR Congo. They learned about coffee production and processing, savings, income diversification and the role of women in Rwanda’s coffee value chain.

Farmers meet international buyers

The conference also provided farmers with an opportunity to engage directly with international buyers and learn what is required to compete in global markets.

Agnes Nyinawumuntu, a coffee farmer with Twongere Umusaruro wa Kawa Cooperative in Kayonza District, said the discussions helped producers understand how to communicate with buyers, prepare contracts and respond to market changes.

She said farmers also gained a better understanding of the importance of documenting their coffee’s origin, meeting quality standards and maintaining the records required by buyers.

"We also gained opportunities for collaboration during the conference. We have already established connections with two buyers. One is an American buyer who will visit our cooperative on Sunday, while another buyer from Japan will visit us on Monday,” Nyinawumuntu said.

AI emerges as a tool to support coffee farmers

Artificial intelligence (AI) was another focus of the conference, with speakers examining how technology could support farmers without replacing their knowledge and decision-making.

Augustin Nkundimana, founder of AgricAI, said AI can help farmers detect pests and diseases, access weather information and obtain agronomic advice.

His organisation is developing image-based tools that analyse crops and provide information that can be shared with agronomists.

"Farmers will lead and AI will just expand the view,” he said.

Nkundimana said farmers should remain responsible for decisions based on their knowledge of local conditions.

"Farmers will make their final decisions, it’s not AI who make the final decision,” he said.

He also stressed that farmers should be involved in developing agricultural technologies from the outset.

"AI will not really work if the farmers are not on the table of discussion, if their knowledge is not in the table, if their voice is not there in the table,” he said.

He identified infrastructure, reliable local data and digital skills as key requirements for scaling AI in agriculture.

Certification and finance key to market access and growth

The conference also examined certification and finance as tools for improving farmers’ access to markets and strengthening coffee businesses.

Michel Ruzindana, Senior Programme Officer at Fairtrade, said certification should reflect a producer’s ability to consistently meet standards and deliver quality, rather than simply serve as documentation.

"Certification should not be seen as a document. It demonstrates professionalism, commitment to standards, but also the ability to consistently deliver the quality,” Ruzindana said.

He said certification should also strengthen farmers’ position in the market.

"Farmers deserve a fair, stable return and a voice in the market,” he said.

Ruzindana highlighted Fairtrade’s minimum price as a safety net during economic shocks, while premiums received by certified producer organisations can support farmers, communities and sustainable farming practices.

For cooperatives seeking finance to expand their operations, Viateur Nsengumuremyi, Project Manager at Progresso, said strong governance and financial management are critical.

"Business growth requires a strong leadership system,” Nsengumuremyi said.

He said cooperatives need proper legal and governance structures, reliable financial records and clear business plans, while strong relationships with buyers can also improve access to finance.

"We emphasise on the strong relationship with the buyer, contract the buyer and also focus on the long-term partnership,” he said.

Turning connections into tangible results

As the conference closed, Mutabingwa said the relationships established in Kigali should translate into investments, partnerships and opportunities for farmers and others at the beginning of the coffee value chain.

"Every voice has a role to play in this process,” he said.

The final afternoon featured practical masterclasses for farmers on logistics and business engagement, as well as a coffee tasting session.

The conference concluded with a fundraising dinner, under the theme "One Evening. A Thousand Futures: Investing in the Next Generation of Coffee Leadership.” The dinner brought together Global Coffee Conference delegates, women-led cooperative leaders and other guests to support initiatives for women coffee producers and their communities.

Delegates and participants came from across Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia, with representatives from Rwanda, Tanzania, Brazil, DR Congo, Nicaragua, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Peru, Puerto Rico, the United States, Japan, France, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Ethiopia and Madagascar, as well as Dubai.

Fundraising targets women coffee farmers

Sustainable Growers used several fundraising categories to turn the partnerships developed through the conference into longer-term support for women coffee farmers.

The one-time packages included an Exclusive Partner contribution of $5,000, a Valued Partner contribution of $3,000 and a Legacy Spotlight contribution of $250.

The contributions were tied to specific initiatives, including learning and exchange visits for young coffee entrepreneurs, training on coffee intercropping and income diversification, and practical skills and tools for women farmers to develop coffee-based enterprises and add value to coffee and its by-products.

The organisation also introduced a Sustaining Partner Programme for donors who prefer to contribute on a recurring basis. Supporters can give $500, $1,000, $2,500, or $5,000 and above, with payment options ranging from monthly to every three, six or 12 months.

The funds support areas including hands-on training for women coffee farmers, climate-resilient farming, value addition, market access and AI-enabled learning tools.

The fundraising dinner also featured an auction of items and experiences, including bamboo cups, a hand-woven carpet, a Question Coffee tumbler, a Rwanda Discovery Akagera Day Safari, a return air ticket within East Africa and a travel voucher for two people to destinations around the world.

According to Sustainable Growers, the fundraising initiative was designed to extend the impact of the conference beyond the three-day event, with proceeds supporting Sustainable Growers’ work with women in coffee across Rwanda, DR Congo and Tanzania.