Two fundamental starting points in setting up Brand Coffee Farm are:
- Implementation of the Regenerative Agroforestry concept;
- Combining world wide best farming practices leading to Circular Coffee Farming.
Both are equally import to us. They will ensure, on one hand hand, improved farming conditions leading to higher coffee yields, additional cash crops and on the other create a substantial contribution to the environment. As small as we are with our farm we aim that it will lead to an example and source of inspiration to other farmers, large and small in Uganda.
Regenerative Agroforestry
Regenerative Agroforestry principles focuses on soil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving waterlevels and soil moisture, supporting biosequestration, increasing resilience to the changing climate of Uganda and strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil.
This seems to good to be true . . . . . but we have seen the first part of our farm in which we have coffee, vanilla, macadamia and banana, intercropped showing good results. We still have a long way to go before the complete farm is developed according regenerative agroforestry design principles, but we took the first steps.
In 2022 we will start our own organic composting activities which will allow us to apply our own organic fertiliser. Furthermore we will start to work with organic pesticides also made at the farm.
On our economic side, regenerative agroforestry will lower our external input costs, creates different income streams due to diversification and we believe it will even increase our yields.
Circular Coffee Farming
Since the Circular Coffee Farming concept is not yet fully developed, we are exploring ways to further define circular coffee farming principles.
At the moment we combine existing and new techniques and best practices that we find in various coffee producing countries. Some examples that are or will be implemented: bee-keeping, mushroom breeding on coffee waste, organic composting, water purification and solar-only-farming-operation.
Implementing Circular Coffee Farming concepts achieves a higher coffee yield per coffee plant on the one hand, provides additional sources of income and ultimately supporting the environment (e.g. purification of waste water of washing station)
