Welcome to
Is there Poverty in Your Coffee Cup?
The book ‘Is There Poverty in your coffee cup?’ is written for ordinary people. According to the book, it is anyone who wishes to know more about coffee and the situation of the people who produce it. Although written by an African, it is not about Africa but provides an overview of the global coffee value chain. Those readers who have seen writers with a lifetime working in trade figures getting carried away probably expect to be swamped by a book full of statistical facts and figures. The writer, Fred Kawuma, anticipates this very early and, in the introduction, writes reassuringly and apologises for any technical language that may have escaped the net. Thus, with a mind set at ease, the reader may proceed.
The book title can take the ease out of a carefree coffee moment, but this is probably just what the writer wanted. Intending to get those who enjoy their coffee to think about the gulf between them and those who produce it, he calculated he’d best get them while in their cups.
And so, the polished coffee lover in London’s West End gets dragged into a conversation about the dirt, hunger, and petty prices paid to coffee growers in Brazil and Uganda. The plight of coffee growers might otherwise never have occurred to him in his world. Now, he is being told that, in many ways, the lot of the growers is getting even worse. He is being asked to do something about ensuring that coffee farmers are paid fairly and live in decent circumstances.
That is one of the jobs Fred now works at as the African Coffee Ambassador, creating a more just coffee world. Having spent a lifetime in coffee, he feels it deeply. First, as a boy growing up in Buganda, a coffee-growing region, he knows the life of a small householder whose income depends on coffee. Then, as a planner on the coffee desk in the Bank of Uganda, he has had to get the big national picture of how Uganda depends on coffee. After that, setting up and ran organisations regulating coffee production and trade locally, regionally and internationally; he has been everywhere coffee is happening. From the jungles of South America to the polished open cafes of urban Europe, he has had the chance to observe the deep gulf separating coffee producers from those who love the final product in the First World. Being an idealist, he has determined that something needs to be changed.
The book first introduces the reader to the technical language, drawing them deeper into the coffee world. The reader can speak casually with a barista and order a Frappuccino with their favourite mocha flavouring.
We are taken on a tour of the coffee-drinking world. Across Europe, we look at the Nordic countries, which are the top coffee consumers globally. The people of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark consider the ‘fika’, a coffee break, a necessary part of their day, a social ritual for bonding and conversation. Finland, the top coffee-drinking country, legally mandates workers to take two ten-minute breaks. The average Finn gets through four cups of coffee daily, reaching over ten kilogrammes a year.
Many Europeans love their coffee at home. Home coffee machines, making and filtering, are standard in households, allowing owners to experiment with flavours and preparations. They love high-quality coffees.
The French port city of Marseille is specifically mentioned for its coffee culture. The vibrant, charming squares and streets are adorned with cafes, creating a globally known creative atmosphere for relaxing residents and visitors.
The USA, importing the greatest amount of coffee, is only twenty-five in drinking coffee. It hosts some of the biggest marketing events, festivities, and trade shows, with one, the Specialty Coffee Exposition, drawing over 30,000 people.
We get a rare look at the hidden worlds of Latin America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. Turkey and Saudi Arabia are well known for their strong, sweet coffee and old traditions. Ethiopia is renowned for its ceremony, which revolves around the taking of coffee.
Even within one country, the different ways of drinking coffee make for interesting reading. In the north of Mexico, they prefer their coffee black and sugared; in the south, they like it with cinnamon and cloves. In the west, they add milk and honey, and in the centre, they like it with chocolate and vanilla. All that is part of Mexico’s 32.5 billion cups of coffee every year.
Finally, having given us a tour of the coffee world and ensured we had some idea of the central issue, Fred discusses how we can make a fairer world.
Coffee growers need to organise into bigger groups that can negotiate for better deals.
The World Coffee Producers Forum is central to this. It has promoted the roasting of coffee at the origin, adding value. However, hurdles still need to be overcome to get processed food products into developed countries. Uganda has tried this, using the farmer ownership model of processing by the NUCAFE and the Bugisu Cooperative Union, among others.
Setting up local shows like the annual African Fine Coffees Conference increases the exposure of African coffees to international buyers. It allows African coffee to display exceptional qualities and make more money.
Coffee tourism, backed by government programmes like in Kenya, shows great potential, attracting visitors with Africa’s scenery, wildlife and adventure.
Coffee cultural events, planted in centuries-old cultures, promise to bring paying visitors to the poor farmers deep in Africa.
These are just a few possibilities Fred lays out to rescue the struggling farmer.
At the end of the reading, the reader will realise they are much richer in understanding the world of coffee. They have learnt about different ways of brewing a coffee cup. They have learnt about cupping sessions, where they become sensitive to the aroma and body of a coffee, getting more particular about what they want in their coffee.
Now, they have a much broader grasp of the coffee world and the people at the other end. They can enjoy their cup of coffee far more fully.
This book will be necessary reading for all who seek a better life for coffee producers and all in the coffee trade.