The Gorilla Coffee Alliance empowers farmers and protects wildlife by supporting resilient and sustainable coffee farming in conflict-affected eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Once hailed "a paradise for coffee" because of its rich soils and ideal climatic conditions, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been marred by decades of conflict and instability, affecting the lives of small-scale farmers and local wildlife alike.
Coffee was once the DRC’s second most lucrative export, generating significant revenue for the national economy. However, as a consequence of widespread violence, many smallholder farmers were forced to abandon their plots, causing the DRC’s coffee exports to go from 120,000 tons per year in the 1970s to just 10,000 tons per year by 2002. Although the macroeconomic environment in the DRC has improved markedly in recent years, many Congolese have not felt those benefits.
Limited economic opportunities have driven an increase in illegal logging, poaching, and mining both within and around Kahuzi-Biega National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the few remaining habitats of the world’s 6,800 estimated remaining eastern lowland gorillas. Additionally, the impacts of climate change, such as shifting rainfall patterns and rising temperatures, have further threatened agricultural productivity and exacerbated economic insecurity in the region.
Conflict, climate change, and a lack of sufficient economic growth have kept the region in a state of turmoil, limiting farmers’ access to training, high-quality coffee seedlings, protective shade for their coffee plants, and processing facilities.
Amidst these challenges, the Gorilla Coffee Alliance emerges as a beacon of hope for both farmers and the local ecosystem. Launched by USAID in partnership with Nespresso, Olam Food Ingredients, TechnoServe, and Asili, the Gorilla Coffee Alliance partners with 8,500 farming households to improve their coffee production and sales.
To immediately address limitations in the coffee supply chain, the Alliance trains farmers in regenerative agriculture, supports local entrepreneurs in establishing nurseries for coffee and shade-tree seedlings, and provides coffee washing stations with access to finance and technical assistance. It also seeks to support local health and nutrition by training households on kitchen gardens and improving access to health clinics and clean water points. Additionally, the Alliance is mobilizing existing community institutions to become advocates for park conservation.
By supporting local sustainable livelihoods, the Alliance provides significant ecological co-benefits. The national park sits at the edge of the Congo Basin—the world’s second-largest carbon sink. By providing economic alternatives to poaching, logging, and mining, the project helps protect vital forest land and reduce land-use change, which is the number one cause of the DRC’s greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, geospatial analysis found that farms supplying the project did not infringe upon protected areas or deforest land outside of the park for their coffee.
Coffee farming can have carbon-mitigating impacts beyond the park. Since coffee is compatible with agroforestry systems—some varieties require shade trees to thrive—coffee farming can lead to the planting of more trees than other agricultural options. These shade trees not only capture carbon but also provide vital tree cover for wildlife, thereby helping conserve biodiversity.
Finally, training farmers in regenerative agriculture promotes the long-term health of the soil and effective water use, which are key to farmers’ adaptation to a warming climate. The program has trained more than 10,000 farmers (47 percent women) on soil management practices like using composted organic matter as fertilizer and cover cropping, watershed conservation like reducing water usage and implementing riparian buffers, and crop resiliency like reducing pesticide use and planting naturally rust-resistant coffee varieties.
As the global climate changes, extreme weather events, heat, and changes in precipitation are projected to further exacerbate social vulnerability, food insecurity, poverty rates, and political instability in the DRC. The Gorilla Coffee Alliance addresses the compounded challenges of environmental, economic, and political instability through a holistic approach that focuses on the resilience of both communities and the local ecosystem. By strengthening local economies and protecting the environment, the Alliance aims to create a sustainable future where farming communities and the ecosystems they rely on can thrive.
Amanda Clark
Amanda Clark (she/her) works in climate and agriculture for the USAID Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security. She is a graduate student pursuing a dual degree in International Affairs and Natural Resources & Sustainable Development from American University and the United Nations University for Peace. Her previous experience has involved international environmental research and journalism with organizations such as the Wilson Center Africa Program, GRID Magazine, and the Climate Reality Project.
Gorilla Coffee Alliance
The Gorilla Coffee Alliance empowers farmers and protects wildlife by supporting resilient and sustainable coffee farming in conflict-affected eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
