Mt Elgon Gibuzale
One of the key areas covered by the programme is Gibuzale. Situated at 1,900 metres above sea level, Gibuzale washing station is the highest and most remotely located washing station operated by Kyagalanyi. 1,328 smallholder producers belonging to the Kyagalanyi group delivered cherries for this particular Gibuzale lot, 1,103 of which are male and 225 are female.
- Farm Kyagalanyi
- Varietal SL14, SL28
- Process Fully washed
- Altitude 1,700 to 2,200 above sea level
- Town / City Bulambuli District
- Region Eastern Uganda - Mount Elgon region
- Owner 1,328 farmers - members of Mt. Elgon Washed Arabica Scheme of Kyagalanyi Coffee Ltd.
- Tasting Notes Lemon, black tea, honey
- Farm Size Less than one hectare on average
For many, Uganda might not the first country that comes to mind when thinking of high-quality Arabica: the country has been traditionally known as a producer of Robusta – in fact, some of the highest quality Robusta available on the market – and is reputed to even be its birthplace. However, in many regions of the country the challenges to quality Arabica production are certainly more a matter of infrastructure, history and knowledge than environment. For instance, the slopes of Mt. Elgon in the eastern reaches of the country (bordering Kenya) and on the slopes of the Mount Rwenzori, known locally as the ‘mountains of the moon’, in the Northwest bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are microclimates and terrains that are ideal for the production of high-quality coffee.