Africa’s Coffee Sector Aims to Reclaim Global Market with Ambitious 2030 Target
African coffee-producing nations have set a groundbreaking goal to increase the continent’s global coffee production share to 20 percent by 2030, signaling a strategic move to revitalize the struggling sector.
Currently, Africa contributes only 11 percent to global coffee production, a stark decline from 25 percent in the 1960s. The sector faces significant challenges including aging farmers, climate change, and limited value addition.
Key strategic priorities include transforming from raw material exporters to finished product producers. Leaders emphasized the urgent need to boost production, enhance local processing, and create substantial economic opportunities.
Tanzania is leading innovative approaches to coffee sector revival. The government has introduced critical initiatives such as:
– Strengthening coffee research institutions
– Providing seedling and fertilizer subsidies to farmers
– Launching the Build Better Tomorrow (BBT) programme to attract youth into agriculture
– Targeting domestic coffee consumption increase from 7 to 15 percent by 2030
Youth engagement emerged as a crucial strategy, with leaders highlighting the importance of modernizing agribusiness models and introducing advanced farming technologies.
Experts stressed the need for comprehensive support mechanisms, including:
– Improved financial access for smallholder farmers
– Investment in disease-resistant coffee varieties
– Effective branding and marketing of African coffee
– Development of circular economy approaches in coffee production
The ambitious target represents more than economic growth—it’s a strategic effort to reposition Africa as a key player in the global coffee market, create employment, and drive sustainable agricultural development.
As African heads of state prepare to finalize resolutions, the coffee summit marks a pivotal moment for the continent’s agricultural transformation.
