Sironko, Uganda

The story goes that, during a famine centuries ago, tribes moved east and came across a river that proved to be their salvation. They named it "Sironko," meaning "comfort" and "peace" in the Lumasaba language, spoken by the ethnic locals on the slopes of Mount Elgon. The washing plant is located in Budadiri Sub-County, near the famous river, and processes coffee cherries from the surrounding communities, which still rely on this abundant water source.

The associated farmers receive training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to help them improve quality, productivity, and yield, as well as agricultural inputs and seedlings. They also operate empowerment programs for women and youth; they provide workshops that address changing attitudes toward resource ownership, procurement, and family participation; and they establish farmer savings and loan groups to foster long-term economic stability in the community.

At 1250masl, Sironko is in a prime location to welcome farmers arriving from higher-altitude farms, up to 1850m, along the slopes of Mount Elgon. Mount Elgon is an extinct volcano on the border with Kenya and is considered the oldest volcano on the African continent. Its imposing base and gentle slopes support thousands of smallholder farmers, and Arabica coffee is grown in a wide strip around the mountain, between 1200-2200masl. The volcanic soils, abundant rainfall, high altitude, and radiant sunshine contribute to the region's excellent terroir and exceptional cup quality.

The cherries, selectively hand-picked, arrive at the washing plant where they undergo quality and weight testing. Automatic flotation separates the cherries by density into three quality grades, with the densest cherries representing the highest quality. Selected coffees are mechanically pulped and demucilaged using an environmentally friendly pulper. Farmers are trained to break down the discarded pulp and use it as a compound fertilizer, while wastewater is treated on-site and used for other crops and demonstration farms in the area. The moist parchment is then mechanically dried. Various drying chambers and carefully regulated temperatures help maintain coffee quality throughout the process. The first chamber consists of water drainage (skin drying) and lasts approximately 7h. This helps eliminate any risk of quality deterioration associated with traditional fermentation and sun-drying. It takes between 21-48h to dry the moist parchment to the recommended moisture level of 12%.