Overview

Coffee plays an important role in the economy of many tropical countries by providing livelihoods for an estimated 25 million rural households. Statistics by institutions such as the International Trade Center (ITC) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) have shown that between 20% and 30% of coffee farms are operated by females and up to 70% of labour in coffee production is provided by women depending on the region, this includes female self-employed farm operators, providers of paid and unpaid labour on family farms, and agricultural workers.
The statistics further shows that significant variations in female labour contribution in coffee production can be found reaching up to 90% in field work and up to 80% in harvesting activities. Hence, around 5 million of the estimated 25 million coffee producers worldwide are women. It is a known fact, that the macro and structural challenges faced by stakeholders in the African coffee value chain cut across demographics but is evidently worse for women and the youth.
 It’s worth mentioning that, in general, women in many coffee producing countries face additional challenges, such as high unemployment, low income, reduced access to adequate health care or education, less access to resources, coffee training, and business networks required to improve productivity and marketing of their crops. Worse still, besides resources, the African women struggle with human right issues, sexual assault and abuse from their male superiors especially at the lower levels of the coffee supply chain. At the production level, very few women own land or businesses due to parochial and archaic laws and are mainly involved in the hard manual work of coffee picking, harvest and sorting. African women are less represented at the processing and value addition stage of roasting, baristas, coffee retail ownership, trading and exporting.
In view of the double burdens/challenges faced by the African women in the coffee industry, not all hope is lost, and the good news is: IACO has resolved to take initiative through the establishment of the African Women in Coffee Forum (AWCF); a platform aimed at galvanizing the women in securing the future and sustainability of the coffee sector in Africa.
To this end, the Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO) as part of its strategic objectives, provides an opportunity for discussion of policy issues relating to African coffee, including but not restricted to research, production and market access, has created this platform to intentionally and passionately deliberate and assist in resolving pertinent issues pertaining to the African Women in the coffee value chain in IACO Member States.

Objectives

This will be the first edition of the African Women in Coffee Forum (AWCF) in the sixty-two-yearold history of the Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO). The AWCF is expected to create a platform for information, networking and exchange of views between African women in the coffee value chain and stakeholders in the IACO member states. This interface is expected to create a better understanding of the industry for policy makers and stakeholders at all levels in formulating a conducive business and policy environment for the women in coffee operating along the value chain on the African continent. Specifically, the forum aims to:

• Provide a platform for African women in the coffee value chain to network, exchange views and share experiences, success stories, challenges, opportunities and any other issues that could assist in formulating policies and new projects at the regional level;
• Provide an opportunity for dialogue on increasing coordination and collaboration between African women in the coffee chapters and the IACO Secretariat;
• Galvanise and develop a database of women groups across the coffee value chain in Africa; 



• Train and build capacity and skills for women in coffee across the entire value chain 


Targeted Groups

As a pilot, there will be no need to “reinvent the wheel” and therefore the initial targeted groups will be the active African Women in Coffee Chapters registered under the International Women in Coffee Alliance (IWCA). This organization has chapters around the world and works to “empower women in the international coffee community to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives; and to encourage and recognize the participation of women in all aspects of the coffee industry.” In Africa, the chapters are represented in 7 African countries namely (Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Tanzania). These countries are also member states of IACO, and their chapters are involved in coffee farming, primary processing, roasting, barista training, coffee retail outlets, start ups, importation of accessory machinery and exportation of green and value-added coffees. It is projected as the forum grows, other groups targeted may include successful women groups and influencers in the digital tech, sports, film and entertainment industry.

Expected Outcomes

• Increased awareness and understanding of challenges facing African women in coffee and available opportunities in the value chain;
• Enhanced coordination, policy formulation and collaboration between IACO, women groups and other coffee stakeholders;
• Increased awareness on the role of IACO and benefits to member states;
• Increased institutional and capacity building through barista training and competitions which are expected to increase the number of women baristas
• Knowledge and Information sharing among women groups;
• Advocacy for women in the coffee value chain to be part of the decision making processes;
• Create partnerships between women groups / associations and the regional and international bodies;
• Empowering women to have access to public services, such as trainings, extension programmes, projects and benchmarking exercises;
• Empower women to lead the DACBA initiative in their respective units;
• Advocacy for women to have access to finance and grants from Banks, and other institutions;
• Provide support through the Africa Coffee Facility (ACF);
• Establish a database and network of all African Women in the coffee value chain of IACO Member states;
• Assist in Identifying business opportunities for women entrepreneurship in the coffee value chain