Increase and improve coffee production

The Usambara Cooperative Union (UCU) is a second level organisation that commercialises tea and fair trade-certified, washed Arabica coffee in the Northern part of Tanzania (Usambara mountain region). UCU was founded on 5 October 1994, by three primary societies comprising of some six hundred farmers. In the course of that same year, more joined to a total of twelve societies to participate in their first coffee harvest which started in July of 1995. Currently 14 primary cooperatives are member of the Union UCU, approximately representing 2400 individual farmers. Tea represented approximately 20% of the sales and coffee 80%. Unfortunately the tea processing company closed and farmers as well as the union lacks tea market outlet. In addition, the Union has its own 'projects' or 'departments', serving to get more income and to increase food security for its members. The profit from these projects is used to capitalize the cooperative and for depreciation of vehicles. 1. Trees Department (for fire wood), previously grown by the Tea Authority for processing factory, now sold to a Tanga textile factory. It is grown on a farm (Kwehangala) which is property of the Union; 2. Maize Department (for consumption of its members) which is bought from other small farmers, stocked and sold to individual farmers upon request through the primary societies when there is shortage of food; 3. Transport Department (of own coffee and leased to individual vegetable traders). UCU survived difficult times from 2013 to 2015: a drop in coffee prices after collection at farmers caused a debt at the bank which pre-financed the campaign; furthermore the manager who held most of the institutional memory of the union passed away in 2014. UCU wants to regain its members trust and improve its economic performance'.