Other Knowledge hubs
A key aspect of the Regional Knowledge Hubs is to identify sector challenges and solutions and communicate them between the regions and at the global level. This section, therefore, provides information on the other two regional coffee platforms collaborating with the ICO’s CPPTF; namely, The InterAfrican Coffee Organization (25 member countries in Africa); The ASEAN Coffee Federation (10 member countries in ASEAN region), The African Fine Coffee Association (11 member countries) and PROMECAFE (9 member countries in MesoAmerica). As well, it presents the ICO’s Global Knowledge Hub where sector level challenges and responses are discussed, creating a global flow of information and sector level discussion that can lead to concrete action to achieve the sector transformation to an economically resilient and sustainable coffee sector.
ASEAN Coffee Federation (ACF)
ASEAN Coffee Federation (ACF):
Founded: Letter of Understanding 2010; ACF formal founding, 2013.
Members (10): Philippine Coffee Board. Coffee associations of: Malaysia; Singapore; Laos; Burma; Vietnam (VICOFA); Malaysia (specialty); Thailand (2 associations: Coffee & Barista); Indonesia (2 associations: Specialty and Exporters/Industry).
Vision: To be the key representative of the ASEAN coffee industry.
Objectives/Mission: Establish a platform for common dialogue; educate farmers on productivity improvements; share information about the coffee market on a global scale; share best agricultural practices through the implementation of GAP certification; promote ASEAN coffee globally.
Unique Features: ACF contains producer and consumer member countries, and works within an ASEAN free trade agreement. Additionally, ACF recently established the ASEAN Coffee Institute, which focuses on sustainability issues. The ACF focal point will work directly with the institute team. Additionally, ACF has created a bean classification system that not only includes cup and bean characteristics, but also identifies environmental and social attributes.
Key contacts for CPPTF: Steven Tan (ACF Executive Secretary) Ms Karmen Yoong (ASEAN Coffee Institute Manager)
PROMECAFE
Founded: 1978 as a network of members of regional national coffee institutions (mix of public and private).
Members: IHCAFE of Honduras, ISC of El Salvador, INTA of Nicaragua, ANACAFE of Guatemala, ICAFE of Costa Rica, IDIAP of Panama, INDOCAFE of the Dominican Republic, JACRA of Jamaica and INIFAP-SADER of Mexico, as well as the IICA and CATIE institutions.
Vision: The Regional Cooperative Program for the Technological Development and Modernization of Coffee Farming (PROMECAFE) was established to address challenges such as fruit borer and leaf rust.
Objective: Promote the modernization and sustainable development of coffee growing in PROMECAFE member countries through technical and scientific cooperation, in order to promote competitive, equitable and environmentally friendly production that contributes to improving the quality of life. rural areas and the conservation of natural resources.
Main strategic Axes:
- Political Advocacy
- Regional Strengthening
- Sustainability – Triple Bottom Line
- Competitiveness and Markets
- Research and Technological Transformation.
More information: If you want more information about the PROMECAFE knowledge center, please contact centrodeconocimiento@promecafe.net.
Inter African Coffee Organization
Founded in 1960, one of the oldest intergovernmental organizations in Africa. It has members from 25 African coffee-producing countries: Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. (It is now being expanded to include African consumer countries.)
Vision: A modernized, competitive and sustainable coffee industry that focuses on quality and productivity that benefits all players in the sector.
Mission: Support the industrialization of the African coffee sector and position African coffee as the origin of premium coffee in the minds of consumers around the world.
Current focus: Strengthen production, research and marketing capacity; Build inter-African trade; Prioritize coffee on the African Union agenda; Build Public-Private alliances that benefit producers and strengthen the sector. IACO also coordinates the African Coffee Research Network
Key contacts: Ambassador Salomón Rutega (Secretary General); Dr. Celestin Gatarayiha (Director of Research and Development and Coordinator of the African Coffee Research Network).
African Fine Coffee Association (AFCA)
Founded in July 2000, AFCA is a non-profit, non-political, member-driven regional association representing coffee sectors in 11 member countries, including: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo , Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia
The Secretariat is based in Kampala, Uganda.
Members: AFCA members include public and private coffee sector stakeholders, including producers, exporters, international importers, roasters, policymakers, transporters and trade representatives.
AFCA has a board of directors of 11 members representing each of the AFCA member countries.
Current focus:
- Coordination and facilitation of AFCA Common Promotion Programs
- Coordination of specialized committees and working groups.
- Help producer organizations and associations as much as possible to make the AFCA dream come true.
- Facilitation and promotion of policy dialogue with regional and local governments as economic integration progresses.
- Standardization and harmonization of practices and activities of common interest.
- Link between commercial and coffee research networks in the region.
- Promotion of domestic consumption.
Key contacts for CPPTF: Mr. Gilbert Gatali (Director); Ms. Alison Streacker (Operations Manager).
