The Kibanga Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society (AMCOS) brings together 234 smallholder coffee farmers in southern Tanzania, near the town of Mbinga and Lake Nyasa. The area is home to the Mbuji Stone, a vast rock renowned locally for its mystical properties and significant source of tourism for the surrounding community.
These smallholders have been producing certified coffee for more than a decade with a strong focus on responsible farming and community development. Coffee is grown on small family farms in rich red clay and sandy soils, where temperatures range from 9°C to 21°C and an annual rainfall of 1,200–1,300 mm.
Many of the farmers’ trees are around 30 years old, with careful pruning, mulching and fertilisation helping to maintain their health and productivity. The main varieties are KP423 and N39, selections of Kent and Bourbon developed by the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute for their yield and resilience.
During the July to October harvest, ripe cherries are handpicked by farmers and their families with around 99% delivered to the local washing station for processing. Kibanga AMCOS has an annual capacity of around 160,000 kg of green coffee and local processing helps to keep more of the value and expertise within the farming community.
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