Rwanda’s new coffee varieties could transform yields as farmers battle ageing trees

By Prince Boris Cyubahiro.

Rwanda is turning to new coffee varieties and renewed plantations in an effort to overcome low productivity and strengthen the country’s position in the global coffee market.

The government says six newly identified coffee varieties could produce between five and seven tonnes per hectare under good farming practices, offering a potential boost to farmers who are currently working with ageing trees and relatively low yields.

Agriculture and Animal Resources Minister Dr Thelesphore Ndabamenye announced the development during the 2026 Rwanda Cup of Excellence coffee awards, where he said research into improved coffee varieties was continuing in partnership with farmers and the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).

“Some of these varieties can produce five or six tonnes per hectare, and with proper farming practices, yields can reach seven tonnes,” Ndabamenye said.

He said the new varieties will be multiplied and distributed to farmers according to the soil and climatic conditions of different production areas.

The move comes as Rwanda seeks to address one of the major constraints facing its coffee industry: ageing plantations.

Many coffee trees in Rwanda have been in the ground for decades, with older trees gradually losing productivity. Replacing them with improved varieties is therefore becoming an important part of the country’s strategy to raise production without relying solely on expanding farmland.

From research to farmers
Identifying productive varieties is only the first step.

The government now needs to ensure that enough quality seedlings are produced and reach farmers, while farmers themselves must adopt improved practices capable of unlocking the varieties’ potential.

Ndabamenye said RAB and farmers have already identified the six varieties, but the priority is now to multiply planting materials and make them available at scale.

“Research on coffee is already underway. RAB, together with farmers, has identified new coffee varieties. The next step is to produce more seedlings and make them available to farmers,” he said.

The government is also working with NAEB and international partners to accelerate research and multiplication of improved varieties.

But the minister stressed that better seedlings alone will not automatically translate into higher harvests.

Farmers will need to improve fertilisation, mulching and other crop-management practices, he said.

“Good planting material plays a role in increasing production, but farmers must also provide the conditions needed for the varieties to reach their potential,” Ndabamenye said.

This means the success of the new varieties will ultimately depend not only on research laboratories, but also on what happens in farmers’ fields.

Rwanda wants more coffee for export
Rwanda has been steadily increasing its coffee exports, but the government believes there is considerable room for further growth.

According to Ndabamenye, annual coffee exports have increased from about 22,000 tonnes five years ago to approximately 28,000 tonnes.

The government now wants to increase the volume by at least another 50%.

The expansion of coffee-growing areas is also part of the strategy. The government says it plans to add 10 hectares under coffee over the next three years, while NAEB reported that 2.75 million coffee seedlings were planted on 1,102 hectares during the first agricultural season of 2026.

At the same time, plantation renewal is expected to become increasingly important as older trees are replaced with more productive varieties.

Productivity remains the bigger challenge
For Rwanda, the significance of the six varieties goes beyond simply producing more coffee.

Higher yields per hectare could allow farmers to increase output while making better use of the land already devoted to coffee production.

That could also strengthen the country’s ability to increase export earnings without depending entirely on expanding the cultivated area.

However, reaching yields of five to seven tonnes per hectare will require more than planting new trees. Access to quality seedlings, fertilisers, extension services, appropriate agronomic practices and effective management will all influence the results farmers obtain.

The government’s target is ambitious. Under the Fifth Strategic Plan for the Transformation of Agriculture (PSTA 5), Rwanda aims to generate $160 million in coffee export earnings by 2029 through increased production and improved quality.

For farmers, the real test will be whether the new varieties can move from research stations and multiplication programmes into productive plantations—and whether the promised higher yields translate into higher and more reliable incomes.

If that transition succeeds, Rwanda’s coffee sector could enter a new phase in which productivity, rather than simply increasing the number of trees, becomes the main driver of growth.