We Are Tomodachi Summer 2018

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Still relatively unknown, Rwandan coffee isthe country’s number one export, and one Japanese manintends to share it with the world22wanda boasts a coffeeindustry that spans over acentury. Its high elevation, temperatetropical highland climate, andfertile volcanic soils provide anideal environment for the plant tothrive, and government backinghas improved production quality.However, growers had been unableto boost the economy and improvewages, so the government calledon Japan for assistance.The Japan International CooperationAgency (JICA) surveyed growersto ascertain awareness of qualitystandards for each stage of production:selection, processing, distributionand sales. The two countries bolsteredtheir ties in 2017 with a partnershipdeal between JICA and Rwanda’sNational Agricultural ExportDevelopment Board (NAEB) toimprove crop yields, coffee quality,and marketability.Spearheading the deal is Yoshiaki“José” Kawashima—known as theCoffee Hunter because of hisknowledge and expertise combinedwith an ability to discover rarevarieties and talented producersaround the world. Governmentsand royal foundations regularly callon him to work alongside farmersand provide counsel on techniquesto improve production.Consider Kawashima the bridgebetween coffee-consuming countriesand coffee-producing countries.His personal mission is to “changethe world through coffee,”spearheading sustainable coffeeproduction. And, he says it all startswith researching the history of theregion.“Rwandan coffee comes from avariety introduced to the area byGerman missionaries in 1903, whichhad adapted well to the land aroundthe small village of Mibirizi insouthwest Rwanda,” Kawashimasays. He continues, “This cultivarultimately took the name BourbonMibirizi. However, disease hadseemingly wiped it out.”While visiting Mibirizi, a forlorncoffee plot behind a church caughtKawashima’s eye. Upon inspection,he realized it was a Bourbon Mibirizi,so he harvested its ripe berries,roasted them, and prepared a cupof the forgotten brew. It struck himthat he had discovered Rwanda’shidden treasure. This coffee’srichness and complexity were unlikeany other coffee he had tasted.Kawashima had found a new mission:to bring this coffee back to life andbuild a global brand from this nationaltreasure. When asked how he interactedwith the locals, Kawashima smilesand replies, “Initially, the localfarming community didn’t offer muchsupport. Japan’s not a coffee producer,so, for them, it didn’t make muchsense to listen to me.”RRwanda’sHidden TreasureGRASSROOTS AMBASSADOR Japanese Individuals Contributing WorldwideREPUBLIC OFRWANDAJAPAN