Falling in Love with Tanzania

Karibu Tanzania!

Welcome to Tanzania in Swahili.

Day 1: Tanzania gave us a warm welcome as we crossed the border on foot! A seven-hour drive from Nairobi, exciting! Such an adventure. My travels in this wonderful country began in Tarime, in the North. The town is bustling with people selling fruits, vegetables, fish, clothing, and plenty of bananas.

Our guide, Mtei, picked us up and we explore a nearby dry mill that has just opened called Watalima Wa Mara. This is an interesting enterprise as they were running new machinery and were planning to open up a wet mill, as well. Quite rare to do both in one facility. Since we arrived so late in Tanzania, this was our only visit. So, we drove over to our hotel to rest before the following long day.

*Bags of coffee, Watalima Wa Mara Dry Mill, Tarime*

In the morning, our guide collected us from the hotel, and we were on our way, driving an hour towards Muriba, one of the wards in Tarime. The roads were bright red, the vegetation so lush, we could see the hillsides of Kenya in the distance. So wild that the border was so close. The people here grow maize as a form of income, drying the kernels on the side of the road to be ground into a powder for ugali, the local starch eaten with lunch and dinner (quite delicious). The air was sweet, the sky clear. A beautiful day.

Soon we arrived at the Muriba Central Processing Unit (CPU), where Mtei runs the operation. This facility was opened in 2017 and works with five Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS), the equivalent of a cooperative in other countries. The cherries are collected by each AMCOS from the producers in each area, and a truck from the CPU collects the cherries from each of these AMCOS. The cherries are sorted upon arrival and then all mixed when pulped. A machine removes the external fruit, then pipes deliver the cherries to fermentation tanks, where they soak for 12 – 18 hours to breakdown the mucilage on the beans before being rushed through channels, washed, and graded. There were 400 tables to dry the coffee in the open sun. Most of the coffee here is washed, some is naturally processed, where the cherry is dried in whole. In some cases, this is called Mbuni and has various quality levels. Once the coffee is dried, it is bagged and prepared to be sent to the dry mill in Moshi, near Mt. Kilimanjaro in the West. After dry milling, the coffee is trucked to Dar Es Salaam in the East to be shipped out all over the world.

*Muriba Central Processing Unit, Tarime*

This was a bit of a different enterprise compared to Kenya, but a somewhat similar. The pulp remains in a separate pile to be shipped to producers for a natural fertilizer. We also learn that producers here are 100% organic, using no chemicals, yet they do not have the certification. The next step!

Tanzania has had a unique history with coffee production, especially in the last ten years. The government halted the direct buying of coffee in 2018, only allowing sales via the auction (similar to Kenya). Unfortunately, this led to a significant decrease in sales for the season. This was revoked in 2019, and production has been rapidly increasing ever since. The common varietal is called ‘Compact,’ a varietal similar to Ruiri 11 in Kenya, high yielding and tolerant to Coffee Leaf Rust and Coffee Berry Disease. A bright future lies ahead for Tanzania, so much potential!

*Washing channels at Muriba CPU, Tarime*

Next, we drive over to the Tagare AMCOS, which makes up about 40% of the coffee at Muriba CPU. We met with Sibuíl Mwita Girago, the manager for the AMCOS. He tells us that the AMCOS is six years old, and collects cherries from about 149 farmers, half of which are women. He pays them cash after weighing and sorting, then bags the cherries to be picked up by the CPU. He mentions that producers generally have about 300 coffee trees on their land, and on average, about 0.3 hectares. The government is assisting with the distribution of coffee seedlings to promote production, about 300,000 in Tarime alone, which will lead to a significant increase in production in a few years. Yet, the youth lack interest in coffee production, some venturing into the mines for a faster income. Only the future will tell if the younger generations will take over the farms.

A short drive down the road, snacking on Tanzanian cashews and small creamy bananas, and we soon arrive at the Kema AMCOS collection point. Damien Minge is the manager here, and collects cherries from 500 farmers, 200 of which are women. This AMCOS makes up about 30% of the coffee at the Muriba CPU and has been running for eight years. A similar set up, farmers bring their cherries here and get paid after sorting, then the CPU sends a truck to pick up the cherries to be processed.

We also met an agronomist who told us about the government’s initiative to have agronomists visit farms to assist with improving production or diversifying crops. He guides us to visit one of the farmers associated with the Kema AMCOS named Keraryo. We trudge through muddy paths, cassava fields, mud huts, and plenty of maize. Soon we arrive at his farm which is slightly less than a hectare. He has been growing coffee for 20 years and has been doing quite well in recent years. New Compact varietals had been planted and they were already filled with green cherries. He will be having a profitable harvest soon. Harvest in Tanzania is usually broken up into a main crop and a fly crop, but because of the rains, harvest is running for nine months straight!

We clamber back through the mud, enjoying the sun and the view as women with baskets on their heads shout ‘Karibu.’ It was such a wonderful day seeing where the coffee is processed, where it is collected, and even being able to see a beautiful farm.

Our evening concluded with some ugali, vegetables, and the setting sun.

Tanzania, so far, is such a happy and positive country. Welcoming and overflowing with plenty of crops and more coffee each year. Next, I will be venturing to Kilimanjaro, to travel to some coffee farms there and meet with a unique estate. Stay tuned!

*Compact coffee trees at Keraryo’s farm, Tarime*

*Geisha seedlings, Kongoni Estate, Karatu*

Habari?

How are you in Swahili.

Day 2: Thunder roared outside as rain poured in buckets early in the morning in Tarime, Tanzania. I awoke to flashes of lightning and the power going out. Such a riveting storm.

Soon, we headed on a long drive from Tarime to Mwanza, near Lake Victoria, to catch a plane to Kilimanjaro. Rains rode with us on this long journey, until we arrived at the airport, the sky clear and ideal for a plane ride East.

Upon my arrival at Kilimanjaro, I was greeted by a new group of guides, one of which was a woman named Rosallia. We hopped into the truck and began the journey to Karatu, a prominent coffee region, about five hours away. The drive was beautiful, plenty of safari trucks filled the bumpy roads, heading to the Serengeti to see wildlife. We passed Lake Manyara National Park, where lions preyed on animals from trees. The Maasai herding their cows on the grasslands near the roads. We even stopped for some avocados for dinner, they are huge and have an almost red hue in Tanzania. It was evening by the time we arrived in Karatu, enough time to settle and rest for a long day ahead. And feast on a creamy avocado.

The following morning, the adventure began with a short drive to Heights Estate. Coffee production in Tanzania is 90% from smallholder producers. The remaining 10% comes from estates, many of which are situated in Karatu. We are greeted by Vimax Emin and his son Akshay, the owners of the Estate. The family immigrated from India to Kenya a number of generations ago to assist with the building of the railway, Soon, they traveled South to Tanzania, working in the postal service and soon trying out coffee farming. Vimax’s father acquired the land in 1980, yet they had already owned a farm in Arusha since 1978. Now, Vimax and his son run only Heights, 80 hectares in size, with roughly 30 hectares of new trees recently planted. Vimax’s father, now in his late 80s, still helps out at the farm. I had the honor of meeting him.

We begin a long trek through the farm, wearing wellies since the ground was so muddy due to recent downpours, the skies cloudy but the air slightly warm. I learn about the varietals, planted by the Germans nearly a century ago, and the new crops of Kent and Compact being planted. Quite interesting to see such old coffee trees mixed with brand new varietals. Yields are expected to increase, yet Coffee Berry Disease has been a significant threat. Only time will tell how the new trees will fare!

*Plucking Batian seedlings for planting, Kongoni Estate, Karatu*

A quick shoe change then we were on our way, roughly 30 minutes, to Kongoni Estate. The farm manager, Siddarth Patel and his dog, Toto, greeted us. We sat in a field, sipping on coffee, as he told us the history of the Estate. The Aggarwal family, Tanzanian, acquired the land in the 1970s, and today it is 1,500 hectares, 210 of which are coffee. Siddarth actually only just began to manage the Estate four months ago, and he lives on the farm with his four dogs and two cats. We walked over to the nursery, where we met a man named Reuben, one of the farm hands, who is leading the planting in the nursery. They had an extensive array of varietals: Geisha, SL 28, Batian, Castillo and Kent. I even had the opportunity to plant a Batian seedling! These will be planted all throughout the farm to increase production and diversify varietals. In a few years, this Estate will be teeming with coffee!

Siddarth then guides us up into the mountains to see the Geisha trees, which are full of cherries. In the distance, the Ngorongoro Forest bristles with life on the other side of the mountain. I hear that elephants roam these lands, marking the trees with their tusks, leaving footprints in the mud and stomping on trees in their paths. Sadly, we saw no elephants today, but it felt magical being in the vicinity of these majestic creatures.

*Nyasa coffee trees with young fruit, Blackburn Estate, Karatu*

Raindrops began to delicately fall from the sky as we clambered into the truck once more. We were heading to Blackburn Estate, a place really special to me that I was eager to see. The roads, gracious, were so muddy and bumpy, so impressed with the driver navigating the sliding wheels. Finally, we arrive at the much-awaited haven. Michael Gehrken greets us, with his German hello. Yes…he is German and has lived on the farm with his wife Tina for over forty years. He is someone I met via email many years ago and learned of his unique story.

The first trees were planted at Blackburn in the 1930s after WWII. Michael’s father had owned the farm since the 1960s and attempted to run the land whilst Michael studied economics in Germany. In 1983, his father asked if he would like to come to the farm and take over. Michael met Jane around this time on a hunting trip in Austria. She soon came over permanently in 1986 after their first son was born. Such a magical story! They began running the farm, improving the lands, replanting trees, and promoting wildlife biodiversity by conserving native forests.

*Michael Gehrken, Blackburn Estate, Karatu*

Today, Blackburn is quite well known, spanning across 51 hectares, with plenty of native forests, shade trees, and wilderness for the elephants. Elephants roam here too! He has 17 hectares that have just been planted and will take a few years to yield fruit. Rain was falling as we waited for coffee to brew in his roastery. Yes…Michael and Tina roast their own coffee and sell it within Tanzania. Yet, only about 5% of his coffee remains in the country. The rest is all exported.

A dense fog soon falls over the farm, and Michael urges me to hop into his rugged Land Rover to go for a drive. We are 1,800 meters above sea level, and the air feels rich and heavy. We slowly drive and slide around to see different areas of the farm. I felt so honored to be visiting this Estate, traveling with Michael! I nearly cried. We had such a lovely time, chatting, taking photos, and talking about his coffee. He is 72 years old, still so passionate, and eager to improve. He loves his trees, we listened to birds, he smoked some cigarettes, life felt so sweet.

The tour was cut too short, but the fog lifted in time for me to see the view, and the mountains in the distance. I was speechless. We drove back to his house, had some coffee and a snack. I saw some of his paintings and was in awe! I found myself wishing I could live here and help out on the farm.

We said goodbye and climbed back into the truck. A long day, indeed! As I write this, the sun is setting on the vast grasses and trees of Tanzania. We drove past a herd of zebras grazing on the side of the road! I mean…what?! I fly out tonight to Dar es Salaam to then fly South in the morning.

Today was a magical day. Seeing these Estates, being so near wildlife and encountering elephant footsteps in the mud. A different side of production in this kind and welcoming country. Also…. I need to mention that they do not drink much coffee here. As a previous British colony, sweet and milky tea is the beverage of choice. Wild, right?! I must return to see more. Until then…more Tanzania tomorrow!

Kwaheri, Tanzania.

Goodbye Tanzania, in Swahili.

Day 3: My plane arrived into Dar Es Salaam at nearly 1am, and the air was already quite humid and warm. A driver greeted me and took me to my hotel where I slept for a few hours. This city was busy and bustling, hugging the Indian Ocean, but sadly I was not able to spend much time here.

A driver and Benjamin (reunited!) picked me up in the morning to head back to the airport. We soon boarded a flight for Mbeya, in the South of Tanzania. It was roughly two hours and soon we emerged out to the grassy hills of Mbeya. Our guide, Braison Watson Mponda, greeted us with a smile and traditional Tanzanian handshake.

As we traversed through Mbeya and headed towards Songwe, the sky was clear, people were selling mangoes, cashews, and roasted corn on the side of the road. The hills were bright green and vast, the homes brick with high metal roofs. The air was cool and welcoming. The borders of Zambia and Malawi quite close!

Soon we arrived at the Songwe Coffee Management Services (CMS) office, warehouse and mill. CMS act as a sort of broker for the coffee producers in Tanzania, helping them with milling and the selling of their coffee. They also have field officers that visit the farms, provide training, assisting with inputs, and other various needs.

We toured the mill and saw the cupping lab, then hopped back into the car. After a quick lunch, some lovely ugali and vegetables, we ventured onto the rugged back roads to visit a nearby AMCOS (Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society).

Soon we stopped at the Msunte AMCOS in Mbozi. Uhuru Mwashuya, the chairman of the group, welcomed us, in addition to a collection of other board members. We chatted outside the AMCOS collection point and wet mill to learn more about the group. It was started two years ago, and there are 130 members, including nine women. Farmers will bring their cherries here, and the AMCOS pulps and dries the coffee before delivering it to the CMS dry mill. Farmers usually have 0.4 – 2 hectares of land, growing Compact, Kent and N39 varieties of coffee. The members mention that there are a range of ages for members, young people are interested in growing coffee here. They have also acquired roughly 10,000 Compact seedlings from the government and have seen an increase in production in recent years. Coffee provides for a great life!

Thunder roars in the distance and we begin to feel the sprinkle of rain. However, we carry on and walk over to visit the chairman’s farm. He proudly tells us he has been growing coffee for roughly 26 years and has about 800 trees. Another quick walk to visit to other farms belonging to Herbert and Moses. Yet, the rains pour down, lightning flashing, and thunder cracking the sky above us. The chairman protects me from the rain with his umbrella as we run back to the car. We have a quick goodbye and laugh in the rain. Such a blissful moment.

Braison, Benjamin, and I then drove back to Mbeya, a long journey filled with snacking on cashew nuts and reading. Soon we reach our hotel and have a quick meal before turning in. (Yes I feasted on more ugali).

The morning started early, as we drive back to the CMS office to cup (taste) some coffees from the nearby farms. It was a wonderful tasting, and I really enjoyed the Msunte AMCOS coffee. So vibrant, bright, and full of citrus.

Back into the car, vibrating with delicious coffee, to head to the Maneno farm. This was roughly an hour away, quite bumpy, and my companions stopped for some roasted corn on the side of the road. We soon arrived at Maneno Namayala’s home, where his wife greeted us and offered us some sodas. Soon Maneno himself entered the room and we learned more about his farm.

He acquired the land in 2004 from his father and expanded his farm to its current 12.5 hectares. This is quite large for a farm in this area of Tanzania, so he is quite well known. He grows Compact, Kent, and N39 and processes his own coffee at his mill nearby. He also grows maize and beans as another source of income and for his own consumption. Maize fields are so common here, it felt almost as if I was in the US with the seas of corn all around me.

Maneno then took us to one area of his farm to see his Kent and Compact trees. The air was warm as we wandered around his farm. He was so proud of his land, and it was simply beautiful. The trees were beginning to bear plenty of fruit, a good sign for the upcoming harvest. Something special about Maneno is that he roasts and drinks his own coffee. This is extremely uncommon in Tanzania, most of the farmers I met preferred tea.

Upon our arrival back at his home, there was a feast prepared for us. Rice, kuko (chicken), and beans. I tasted the rice, and I must confess that it was the best rice I have ever eaten. Nutty, flavorful, and rich. We were all in heaven as we sat in Maneno’s home nibbling away.

*Bahanko AMCOS board members, Songwe (a little dark!)*

Our bellies full, we said goodbye to Maneno and his family, and headed on our way. The last visit was to the Bahanko AMCOS just down the road. The chairman, Watson, and secretary, George, welcomed us into the office, as the seven board members sat with us on tiny wooden benches. We chatted for a bit to hear more about the AMCOS, our questions translated from English to Swahili. This AMCOS was started a couple years back, and now have 503 members, 45 of which are women. Farmers generally have around 1.6 hectares of land, growing Compact and N39. They deliver their cherries to the AMCOS, where it is transported to the mill and processed, then sent to the CMS dry mill.

The board told me that yields have been increasing, and they have been receiving support from the government and a local NGO with the donation of Compact seedlings. So, production will only increase in the coming years. Farmers also grow maize, beans, nuts, and avocado as other sources of income and for food. Rain began to pour down onto the roof, which meant no further visits to the farms. So, we huddled outside for a picture and a farewell. Across the street, teens and children were nibbling on sugarcane, watching the strange Mzugu (white people).

Back into the car, our visits complete in Tanzania. The rain continued to pour, Braison navigating the flooded and slippery roads amazingly. We settled in for the long journey home, amazed at the red rivers flowing adjacent to the road. Such a full and exciting day!

We then head to the Utengule Coffee Lodge to rest and relax for the rest of the weekend. It is here that I write to you, surrounded by the hills of southern Tanzania, an immense variety of birds chirping in the distance (the Speckled Mousebird my favorite), and some wonderful coffee.

As my time in Tanzania concludes, I am filled with so much gratitude for the kindness and brightness of the people here. The farmers so happy and welcoming, the people so helpful and happy to meet me, I have fallen in love with Tanzania. Loving the air, the rains, the birds. The food was delicious, the cashews plentiful. I am carrying home with me some Tanzanian coffee to roast upon my return and feel so full of joy.

Tanzanian coffee may not be as well-known as the other producing countries, but I hope in the future this will change as production increases and more people learn of this extraordinary country. I am filled with so much happiness and will hold these memories of Tanzania close. For now…enjoying the day at Utengule, surrounded by birds, coffee, and books. Life is wonderful.

Tomorrow…Ethiopia.

Falling in Love with Tanzania

Karibu Tanzania!

Habari?

Kwaheri, Tanzania.

Ethiopia.

The Red Hills of Kenya