The Genesis of Craterfields Coffee
Crater Fields Coffee is found on the hills around the twin crater lakes of Katinda and Murambi within the greater volcanic crater region of Rubirizi District on the Eastern escarpment overlooking the Western Rift Valley (Queen Elizabeth National Park). This is a region of extinct volcanoes, as can be seen from its many crater lakes and dry craters.
The soils around these hills and craters were found to be extremely fertile because of their volcanic activity origins. Indeed, almost everything tropical can grow in Rubirizi District.
The colonial administration identified this as an area suited to the growing of coffee, both Arabica and Robusta Coffee. So, coffee was introduced there in the 1930s. The grandfather to the proprietors of Crater Fields Coffee was one of the peasants that started growing NYASALAND COFFEE in the late 1930s. It is that coffee that enabled him and many other peasants to send their children to school.
Resilience and Revival: A Community's Strength
Arabica Coffee was widely grown in that area, which led to the formation of the BANYANKOLE KWETERANA COOPERATIVE UNION. This union, which was the buyer of the coffee, built a wet-processing plant at Kyambura, close to where our farm is situated. Unfortunately, during the days of political turmoil, the Union collapsed and people could no longer sell their coffee. This led many farmers to cut down their coffee trees and plant other crops, especially bananas. Without coffee, household incomes plummeted, with serious consequences for the community.
In the 1990s, the father of the proprietors became the Member of Parliament for the area and set upon reinvigorating the growing of coffee in the area. The people who had not cut their coffee trees were encouraged to rehabilitate them, and those who had cut theirs were encouraged to plant new ones, even inter-cropping them with bananas. More people with extra pieces of land were encouraged to plant coffee. With the help and support of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and Kampala Research Station, the MP set up nurseries for the Ruiru 11 variety and supplied seedlings to thousands of farmers.
Craterfields Today: A Vision for the Future
Today, the farm is the nucleus of Crater Fields Coffee. It has also integrated into another family business situated nearby: THE TWIN LAKES SAFARI LODGE, which is now promoting Agro-tourism with coffee. We are now adding value by processing our own coffee, which is currently served at the Lodge. It is intended to grow into the export market as Specialty Coffee.
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Our Mission & Vision
Mission: To cultivate and deliver exceptional single-origin Arabica coffee from the volcanic soils of Kyambura, while championing organic farming, environmental stewardship, and the socio-economic empowerment of our local community, especially women.
Vision: To be recognized globally as a leading producer of premium specialty coffee, renowned for its unique taste, sustainable practices, and profound positive impact on the lives of our farmers and the health of our planet.