Agri Evolve
Agri Evolve is a profit for purpose working with farmers across the Rwenzori region of Uganda to improve overall coffee quality and farmer income.
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We have a very special connection with Agri Evolve, because our origins share the same seed: two people living in Uganda and working the coffee washing stations…
About Agri Evolve
Founded in 2016, Agri Evolve was the result of an observation of the local coffee market: farmers had the coffee, but lacked basic harvesting and processing facilities. On top of this, traders in the area only payed low, cash-in-hand prices, leaving producers unable to improve their own product.
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Agri Evolve emerged as an alternative practise, establishing itself as a place to sell unprocessed cherries for a fair market price. Not only that, but the funds made from exportation were funnelled back into programs focusing on training, education, facilities, and equipment all for the farmers to use to increase their yield and profits.
Agri Evolve facts and figures
Region
Rwenzori Mountains
Latitude
0.07315471332509571
Longitude
29.89801092538354
Farming Altitude
1300 - 2000 m.a.s.l
Processing Methods
Washed, Natural
Average Farm Size
1 - 2 Acres
Harvest Times
September - January
Cultivars
SL14, SL18
Farms per lot
300 - 500
Employees
80 permanent staff
Omwani X Agri Evolve
Back in the early 2010s, two friends, Johnny Rowland and James Wilkinson moved to the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda; they were inspired by stories from Johnny’s parents about living and working in rural Uganda, and wanted that experience for themselves.
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They found work with a local development centre, which often sent them out to support small holder farms. This exposed the duo to the various challenges that producers faced when growing and selling their product.
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Together they built the foundation of a project that would eventually become Agri Evolve, which Johnny is the managing director of. Meanwhile, James went on to move back to the UK, but still wanted to contribute to the improvement of coffee supply chain. This, of course, lead to the creation of Omwani in 2018, and the partnership between the two companies continues to this day.
Meaningful relationships with farmers
Elizabeth is a mother of two and a team leader at the Agri Evolve washing station.
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Her job involves the overseeing of coffee as it dries, a job which she says pays over 4 times as much as her last job as a waitress.
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‘The company is good for the people in this village. It has helped us in getting jobs, we can buy food and pay for school fees.’
Elizabeth Mikanyu
Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda
Muhindo is a student and agricultural officer at Agri Evolve.
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His parents have their own coffee farm, and Muhindo studies agriculture at university, which he says gives him an excellent insight into the industry.
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‘I see the impact of this factory on the community. It is not just one person that profits, it is the community.’
Muhindo Bazirio
Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda
