JNP Coffee, a green coffee trading company, has joined forces with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost the production and export of premium specialty coffee from Burundi.
The collaboration, involving JNP Coffee and its affiliated company, JNP Coffee Burundi, will also launch a coffee academy to empower women and youth with the skills needed to strengthen Burundi’s coffee economy.
The initiative is anticipated to generate 600 jobs and boost coffee exports to the United States by an estimated $400,000 by 2026.
Over the course of 23 months, the partnership will establish a coffee micro-lot dry mill and the Coffee Academy of Burundi, focusing on creating employment opportunities for women and youth while driving trade and investment in Burundi’s coffee sector.
Highlighting the resilience of Burundi’s private sector, the funding partnership between JNP Coffee and USAID will support hiring personnel, acquiring land and equipment, constructing the dry mill, and launching training programs at the Coffee Academy.
Located within the company’s expanded cupping lab in Bujumbura, the Coffee Academy of Burundi will function as a year-round education and training hub, equipping youth with the skills needed for diverse roles in the coffee industry.
Expert consultants will deliver training using materials from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), equipping 100 women and youth with skills to become certified baristas, cuppers, coffee processors, roasters, and marketers. JNP Coffee is actively seeking partners to collaborate in achieving transformative outcomes for these students.
“While there is a steep learning curve for both sides in co-creating these projects, we are grateful for the strength and support of USAID. Our success will drive greater progress for the people of Burundi, aligning with JNP Coffee’s core mission,” says Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, Founder and CEO of JNP Coffee.
In November 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and TechnoServe launched the five-year Burundi Better Coffee Initiative to support 60,000 coffee-farming households through improved processes and training. JNP Coffee aims to collaborate with similar initiatives to further strengthen the coffee industry.
With over a decade of experience, JNP Coffee has helped improve yields and incomes for Burundi’s coffee farmers. Notably, in 2019, seven women coffee farmers used their earnings and premiums from JNP Coffee to construct a $100,000 wet mill, enhancing their production capacity and enabling them to manage their own processing.
