On July 9, 2011, the world saw the birth of a new nation: South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan following a referendum in which 98.83% of people voted for secession from the north. This vote followed decades of civil war, first from 1955–1972, and then again from 1983–2005. The new state, with its capital in Juba, took over about 75% of Sudanese oil reserves, but Sudan kept control of the pipelines and export facilities.
Even before independence celebrations died down, the infant country relapsed into civil war in late 2013, killing approximately 300,000, internally displacing two million, and sending 2.3 million others into refugee camps. Despite multiple attempts at peace agreements and ceasefires in 2015, 2017, and 2018, violence and political instability persisted between the government and opposition. After fighting for five more years, the two factions struck a peace deal in 2018, none of which has ever been eager to implement. So the fight continues, as the nascent nation has become synonymous with conflcit and strife.
The challenges facing South Sudan are myriad: humantiarian crises, the worsening climate change effects, macroeconomic shocks, and spillover from the neighboring civil unrest in Sudan have made life in South Sudan deeply troubled. However, there is a slight bit of good news in the midst of all the conflict: new investment in agriculture to provide economic prosperity and promote peace. And at its core is the hopeful growth of an emerging coffee sector.
Economic Background in South Sudan and the Need for Coffee
According to the African Development Bank, oil accounts for 90% of government income in South Sudan. However, it provides little to no economic value to the populace in terms of employment. The country’s mining industry, though minimal, is largely exploitative of locals. Subsistence agriculture and livestock rearing, which are the primary sources of livelihoods for locals, are barely adequate, with production being affected by border and land disputes. These and other factors have forced youth to migrate to urban areas and some to join the militias.
Experts have posited that developing alternative wealth-generating options can lift locals out of economic hardship. For example, John Prendergast, CEO of a not-for-profit that fights crimes against humanity, the Enough Project, believes that specialized farming, like coffee, can benefit societies and focus them on peace. Established projects such as the partnership between Nespresso and TechnoServe in 2016 have shown that rebuilding South Sudan’s coffee sector can create commercial diplomacy where warring neighbors can come together and freely interact through coffee centers, a perfect vehicle toward economic prosperity and peace. Adding to these, Equitoria Teak Company (ETC) has come up with a coffee project that aims to turn the country into a coffee origin giant.
Using Climate-Resistant Excelsa Coffee for Wealth Creation and Peace
In 2021, launched a coffee project called “Excelling in Excelsa” in Yambio and Nzara counties of South Sudan to add to the country’s alternative wealth-creation bank. According to Ian Paterson, the Managing Director of ETC, the project was launched together with three partners: The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), which funded the project, Cordaid (lead partner), Hummingbird Action for Peace and Development (which conducted community mobilization), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (which was in charge of the identification of the initial organized groups, especially from the SAFER project).
“Born and raised on tea and coffee estates in Tanzania and Malawi, I’ve spent over three decades working across West, East, and Southern Africa in sustainable forestry and timber operations,” Paterson says. “This lifelong exposure to agriculture and my deep passion for land and people brought me to ETC, where I now serve as Managing Director.”
According to Paterson, ETC is the largest teak company in South Sudan and second in Africa. When they harvested the trees between 2015 and 2020, the company realized that there was a need for a more immediate source of income for the communities because replanting teak would require 25 more years before another harvest. That is when the company turned to coffee.
The coffee project concentrates only on the Excelsa coffee variety grown on the company’s 178 acres. It also directly involves a growing network of over 1,500 coffee farmers managing 1,360 acres, 40% of whom are women. Additionally, the project has created more than 190 direct jobs, again with a 50-50 gender balance.
“Excelling in Excelsa aims at improving the livelihood and creation of jobs in an area heavily dependent on subsistence farming and foreign aid. It also aims at reviving the coffee sector, which was vibrant before the second Sudanese civil war of the 1980s, by introducing a cash crop, thereby creating a sustainable income for the community. Additionally, it aims at introducing a climate resilient coffee variety: Excelsa, a species native to South Sudan and known for its ability to withstand harsh climatic conditions compared to Arabica and Robusta coffees,” Paterson tells Sprudge.
Transforming and Developing the South Sudanese Coffee Industry
The coffee project seeks to transform and develop the South Sudanese coffee industry by making it not only economically appealing but also improving food sustainability. It has introduced an agroforest farming system where farmers are trained to intercrop coffee with teak trees, groundnuts, beans, and bananas to provide additional income and improve the food basket. According to the MD’s estimates, each participating farmer has a family of 10 individuals benefiting from the project. Therefore, the project indirectly impacts over 15,000 people, focusing on improving food security and providing sustainable income through agroforestry.
“We are transforming farmers from producing low-quality coffee for local consumption to a high-grade specialty coffee for the international market. The project has also empowered women and youth by providing them with improved income and stable jobs, and is positioning South Sudan as a new origin for unique specialty coffee on the global stage, challenging the dominance of traditional coffee-producing nations,” Paterson says.
ETC mainly processes the Excelsa coffee by wet and dry mills, producing export-ready green beans. The company also has a local roastery that caters to the local market. Their coffee has been tasted by several cuppers who have classified it as unique, with a fruity, spicy, and tart flavor profile, and constantly scored above 80.
“Out of the five tons of green beans harvested last year, four tons were sold to the international market, while one was sold in the regional and local market. Value addition was done by wet processing the cherry and dry milling of the parchment, resulting in clean beans ready for the international market. Roasting was done for both the local and regional market,” Paterson says.
Excelsa Coffee Species and Consumption
Excelsa Coffee (Coffea liberica var. dewevrei) belongs to the Liberica, one of the four major coffee species, but accounts for barely 2% of global coffee consumption and a reported 7% of global coffee production. The topography of the Equatorial regions of South Sudan is suitable for Excelsa Coffee because of its equatorial climate with dense forests, and mountains such as Imatong and Mount Kinyeti.
With deep roots and high resistance to drought, diseases, and heat, the species blossoms where Arabica and Robusta flop. In places like South Sudan, where the effects of climate change are annihilating ordinary coffee trees, Excelsa stands out as a sustainable, scalable option. Although the species’ roots is sometimes thought to be in Southeast Asia, current evidence places it in Africa.
“In 2023, Dr. Aaron Davis [of Kew Gardens] conducted a study that traced our Excelsa coffee back to its South Sudanese roots, identifying it as an origin variety dating to the 1920s. This discovery affirms the coffee’s natural adaptability to our region and adds a layer of heritage and authenticity to our story,” Paterson explains.
While coffee consumption in South Sudan has historically been minimal, “Excelling in Excelsa” has fostered a thriving local commerce of Excelsa coffee while targeting international export and fostering peace in South Sudan.
Daniel Muraga is an anthropologist and freelance journalist based in Nairobi.