Equatoria Coffee, South Sudan

Equatoria are working to generate revenue for their local communities of Nzara and Yambio County via the production of teak and coffee. Providing farmers with the training and seedlings to grow both crops, Equatoria are building upon a history of teak and coffee cultivation that was destroyed during civil conflicts.

Because Nzara and Yambio are located at lower laying lands than is preferable for growing Arabica, Equatoria have chosen to cultivate Robusta and Excelsa coffee, the latter of which has been genetically linked to wild growing coffee trees that were sampled in 1919. Excelsa holds particular prominence for its potential as a climate, pest and disease resistant alternative to Arabica that can be grown at the same altitudes as Robusta.