In South Africa, ongoing challenges with port congestion and underperforming freight-rail systems have added further complexity and cost to supply chain operations. In response, companies are seeking tools and capabilities that reduce uncertainty in their supply chains and enable them to plan and respond more effectively in the face of disruption.

What does 2025 hold for under-fire supply chains? The introduction of powerful AI-powered technologies hold the promise of greater speed, efficiency and automation in supply chains, while greater use of connected technologies may empower business leaders with unprecedented data for improved decision-making.

This year, companies will need to adapt to and manage three key supply chain trends, namely:

Trend 1 – All-in on AI

2025 will see companies take significant strides toward building autonomous, AI-enabled supply chains. The goal: achieving greater efficiency and responsiveness in supply chain operations. As supply chains and associated processes become more complex, AI-enabled capabilities will become essential to help companies address issues as they emerge.

The use of digital twins – a virtual model of physical systems and processes – will become more prevalent, enabling companies to simulate scenarios, analyse performance in real time, and make data-driven decisions to optimise their supply chain operations.

Organisations that leverage AI to become more resilient will also gain an enhanced ability to sense, recognise, and react to disruptions. In fact, by ensuring AI is built-in, relevant and responsible, companies will be able to deliver measurable business outcomes even when disruptions feels like part of the daily routine.

Trend 2 – On the road to resilience

In the year ahead, expect to see greater adoption of anti-fragile supply chain strategies among companies as they navigate growing complexity and strive for greater adaptability. In 2024, extreme weather events significantly disrupted supply chains across the globe, a trend that is set to continue in 2025 thanks to the effects of climate change.

By implementing data-driven technologies such as AI and machine learning, companies can unlock real-time insights needed to identify emerging supply risks and proactively respond to potential disruptions.

In order to maintain operations and remain competitive, companies will need to prioritise robust contingency plans and real-time data visibility to navigate disruption. Expect the focus to shift from reactive crisis management to proactive, agile supply chain strategies that enable companies to anticipate and mitigate disruptions before they occur.

Trend 3 – Striving for sustainability

This year, transparency across supply chains will become an essential element to mitigating risks and reaching sustainability goals. Business leaders will prioritise visibility and transparency to gain real-time insights, allowing them to monitor operations and guard against risky practices.

New regulations will also demand greater insight into end-to-end supply chain processes.

The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which builds on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, is听, and companies are already preparing this year. While the regulations are needed to drive greater sustainability throughout supply chains, it will require companies to make changes to processes and operations to remain compliant, which may add further complexity to supply chain processes.

Technology solutions can play a vital role by helping companies track their compliance and back up their sustainability claims. Improved visibility over supply chain processes will also help to manage risks and enhance collaboration among supply chain partners.

The post AI, Sustainability and Resilience Top Supply Chain Trends for 2025 appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Part of 51风流Sustainability solutions, 51风流Green Ledger allocates carbon emissions to specific economic activities and transactions captured by ERP solutions from SAP. This innovation empowers organizations to accurately account for, analyze and report carbon footprints across products, services, and organizational units.

Addressing the growing consensus that decarbonization is required to combat climate change, 51风流Green Ledger helps companies:

• Track and account for carbon footprints in relation to their financial impact
• Lower emissions alongside financial optimization and thus facilitate carbon budgeting
• Establish carbon planning for carbon neutrality and net zero targets
• Benchmark departments, business units and profit centers from both a financial and environmental perspective
• Prepare for sustainability audits
• Improve supplier-based processes to decrease carbon emissions in the supply chain (2025)

51风流Green Ledger builds on existing financial and ERP solutions from 51风流that are established in thousands of companies worldwide. By extending these solutions to integrate emissions data, businesses can make more informed, sustainable decisions that link environmental impact with financial performance, enhancing compliance, efficiency and transparency.

鈥淓normous investments are required to abate CO₂ in order to curb global warming. Besides smart, reliable regulation also accurate data on emissions along the supply chain is paramount to trigger the necessary investment,鈥� said Dominik Asam, CFO and member of the Executive Board of 51风流SE. 鈥淥nly by moving from averages to actuals 鈥� audited at reasonable assurance 鈥� can freeriding and greenwashing be avoided, thereby protecting such valuable investment and our planet. 51风流Green Ledger delivers precisely that.鈥�

Today, 51风流Green Ledger provides a first step for businesses to address regulatory requirements by integrating financial and environmental data. It helps companies navigate the complex global landscape of sustainability regulations, such as EU CSRD*, while establishing a scalable foundation over time, to adapt to evolving regulations such as EU ETS** and EU CBAM鈥�, as well as to international standards such as ISSB鈥犫��. The launch of the solution marks the beginning of a new era in carbon accounting systems, which are expected to significantly impact businesses worldwide as decarbonization becomes a legal and market imperative.

51风流Green Ledger was developed with support from companies such as Accenture, Deloitte, EY, PwC and TCS (Tata Consulting Services) as well as with pilot customers such as Covestro. Covestro is currently evaluating 51风流Green Ledger in an early pilot phase and testing the linking of carbon dioxide values to 51风流Green Ledger, as they are generated during the manufacture of specific products in the supply chain.

Accenture is helping organizations achieve their net-zero and sustainability targets in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.听 鈥淎s organizations seek to gain visibility into both the financial and environmental performance of their businesses, 51风流Green Ledger can provide the sustainability metrics and insights needed to enhance decision-making that reduces emissions, drives efficiencies and optimizes performance,鈥� said Stephanie Jamison, global resources industry practice chair and global sustainability services lead at Accenture. 鈥淎s a strategic co-innovation partner, Accenture helped shape the development of 51风流Green Ledger and can apply our understanding of the technology and its capabilities to help our clients get the most for their organization.鈥�

Through its Strategic Advisory Group for Green Ledger, 51风流was able to gain insights from Deloitte鈥檚 breadth and depth of knowledge in sustainability measurement and reporting. 鈥�51风流Green Ledger offers new levels of precision in carbon accounting for organizations as they track, manage and report their greenhouse gas emissions, and provides leaders with a holistic view of the costs and benefits of sustainability initiatives, enabling them to make data-driven decisions that can build business resilience,鈥� said Jennifer Steinmann, Deloitte Global Sustainability Business leader.

Deloitte is working with companies as they adopt sustainability disclosure standards and get ready for assurance. 鈥淭echnology solutions can help generate traceable, bottom-up emissions data,鈥� said Veronica Poole, Deloitte Global IFRS and Corporate Reporting leader. 鈥淟everaging the robust governance and controls of enterprise systems is needed to help organizations achieve the rigor that enhances corporate accountability and enables a move to reasonable assurance.鈥�

51风流partner TCS has also cooperated on 51风流Green Ledger, with a focus on accelerating action to achieve carbon neutrality. TCS Enterprise Solutions Global Head Vikram Karakoti said, 鈥淲ith our participation听in the pilot program for 51风流Green Ledger,听TCS is听embracing innovative听sustainability solutions to build a better future. This will enable听organizations to move beyond regulatory compliance听and make sustainability a growth engine.听By embedding听carbon data听into听the enterprise听planning听process, organizations can unlock previously unexplored areas for growth, transformation and environmental renewal.鈥�

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*The (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) defines the rules concerning the social and environmental information that companies have to report. It entered into force on 5听January听2023. **The (EU Emissions Trading System) is a 鈥渃ap and trade鈥� system to reduce emissions via a carbon market. Since 2005, it requires polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, covering emissions from the electricity and heat generation, industrial manufacturing and aviation sectors 鈥� which account for roughly 40% of total GHG emissions in the EU. 鈥燭he (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) is the EU’s tool to put a fair price on the carbon emitted during the production of carbon-intensive goods that are entering the EU, and to encourage cleaner industrial production in non-EU countries. CBAM will apply in its definitive regime from 2026. 鈥犫�燭he (International Sustainability Standards Board) is developing 鈥� in the public interest 鈥� standards that will result in a high-quality, comprehensive global baseline of sustainability disclosures focused on the needs of investors and the financial markets.

For more information, financial community only: Alexandra Steiger, +49 6227-7-60437, investor@sap.com, CEST

For more information, press only: Joellen Perry, +1 (650) 445-6780, joellen.perry@sap.com, PT Daniel Reinhardt, +49 6227-7-40201, daniel.reinhardt@sap.com, CEST 51风流Press Room; press@sap.com

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of SAP鈥檚 2023 Annual Report on Form 20-F. 漏 2024 51风流SE. All rights reserved.

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The use of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution is playing an important role in this transformation, providing wineries with the tools needed to optimise their processes and enhance their competitive edge.

Operational efficiency in the modern winery

Winemaking involves a complex series of steps, from vineyard management to distribution. offers a unified platform that integrates all aspects of the winery business, ensuring that each stage of production is optimised.

According to , Head of Marketing for Africa at SEIDOR, 鈥淥ur solution streamlines production workflows, from crush to cellar, with automated inventory management, batch tracking, and quality control鈥�.

This integration helps minimise waste and maximise efficiency, which is crucial for maintaining high-quality production standards.

Enhancing supply chain visibility

Supply chain visibility and flexibility are essential in the wine industry.

ERP provides end-to-end visibility, allowing wineries to track inventory levels, manage orders, and optimise logistics in real-time.

This capability ensures timely delivery and meets customer expectations, which is particularly important as consumer preferences and market conditions evolve like the growth of e-commerce and Direct-to-Consumer Sales.

Reaching a broader audience

The shift towards online sales is a significant trend in the wine industry.

SEIDOR鈥檚 solution integrates seamlessly with e-commerce platforms, empowering wineries to reach a broader audience.

Havenga highlights that this integration enables wineries to 鈥渟howcase their finest selections, offer tasting experiences, and engage customers through intuitive online storefronts鈥�.

Real-time analytics provide valuable insights into sales performance and customer trends, allowing wineries to tailor their strategies effectively.

Financial management and cost control

Effective financial management is critical for the success of any winery with real-time financial insights, helping wineries manage costs and make informed decisions.

This is particularly important in an industry where the cost of raw materials and transportation fluctuates.

Technology enables better budgeting and forecasting, ensuring that wineries can navigate economic uncertainties with confidence.

Compliance and quality assurance

Compliance with regulatory standards is a constant challenge for wineries so using technology to simplify compliance management with built-in tools to track and report on industry regulations, taxation, and labelling requirements makes things easy.

This functionality helps wineries stay ahead of regulatory changes, reducing the risk of non-compliance and allowing focus on quality and innovation rather than administration and compliance.

Embracing sustainability and innovation

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for both producers and consumers. so tracking and reporting on sustainability metrics becomes crucial.

This aligns with the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly products, helping wineries attract a younger, more conscientious customer base.

Additionally, the ERP system鈥檚 support for product innovation enables wineries to develop new offerings, such as organic and low-alcohol wines, which are gaining popularity in the market.

A digital transformation for future success

The adoption of technology is crucial for achieving operational excellence and sustainable growth in the wine industry.

By streamlining processes, enhancing supply chain visibility, leveraging e-commerce, and ensuring compliance, ERP empowers wineries to meet the challenges of the modern market head-on.

As Elaine Havenga aptly puts it, 鈥淔or wineries looking to thrive in the coming years, embracing digital innovation could be the key to uncorking new opportunities and achieving lasting success鈥�.

The post Digital Innovation Drives Transformation in the Wine Industry appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Like many other farmers on Kalangala, Berna started growing oil palm trees in 2012 while emphasizing sustainability and avoiding the deforestation and other issues associated with oil palm farming in some parts of the world.

Oil palm trees bear the fruit that makes palm oil, a much more reliable and lucrative crop than the cash crops they were producing previously. 鈥淲hen we were farming cassava, bananas, and coffee, we were affected by monkeys. They came and destroyed our crops,鈥� she says.

She also explains that she had to leave home and go to the market to find a buyer for the crops that survived the monkey attacks and never knew in advance how much they would fetch. 鈥淥ur living conditions where bad,鈥� she remembers. She and her family lived in a makeshift timber house. 鈥淚n the night when we were sleeping, winds would come and destroy our houses and our children fell sick almost every day.”

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Change

That began to change when Berna began working with the Kalangala Oil Palm Growers Trust (KOPGT) and the family planted their first oil palm trees in 2012. They expanded their crop in 2019 and again in 2022. In Kalangala, many of the people are oil palm farmers. 鈥淲hen a day starts, some of my family members help me with the pruning,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he others go to the plantation and do other activities.鈥�

As part of its mission, KOPGT teaches farmers better agricultural practices. But perhaps most importantly, it has created a transparent payment system so farmers get paid faster and know if what they鈥檙e getting paid is accurate, increasing the standard of living of the farmers and, subsequently, much of the island itself.

As the number of farmers and transactions increased, KOPGT needed a digital solution to enable continued growth. Since 2009, 51风流has worked to create applications that help smallholder farmers in developing nations, primarily across Africa, enhance food production.

David Balironda, KOPGT鈥檚 general manager, explains that the trust鈥檚 system is based on 51风流Rural Sourcing Management, which can digitally record information on producers, their farms, and communities at every level of the value chain. This helps provide visibility and allows parties to easily and quickly communicate with each other.

Sustainability

Underscoring the importance of sustainability to KOPGT, the trust conducted an initial environmental impact assessment before launching the project and uses听听to monitor the farmer plantings and ensure they are in compliance with the National Environment Management Authority guidelines.

51风流cloud technology also enables KOPGT to ensure that the oil palm planting meets the most stringent sustainability guidelines set by Uganda鈥檚 National Environmental Authority. 鈥淲e are in the process of applying for that certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil to make sure that we work within those guidelines,鈥� says Fredrick Sulwe, KOPGT鈥檚 finance and administration manager.

As part of KOPGT鈥檚 commitment to sustainability, the trust maintains a lake buffer zone between the planting and the lake itself and even rehabilitates those areas that have been damaged by other plantings. 鈥淩estoration of those areas 鈥� the lake buffer zones 鈥� is key,鈥� says Sulwe.

In addition to maintaining the buffer zones, the trust also follows recommendations for the stocking of trees and ensures that no chemicals or herbicides are used. 鈥淎s we increase household income, we must keep an environment that is free of any distortion by the project,鈥� explains Sulwe.

The KOPGT system allows the farmers to input information about their crops using the lead farmer鈥檚 mobile phone and enables them to receive information and advice back from the trust. The system also includes a mapping feature that has helped farmers to know exactly how much land they are farming. 鈥淭hat means when I go to the bank to get a loan, I鈥檓 sure of the size of my lot,鈥� explains Berna.

In addition, she also knows exactly how much of the loan is outstanding and when it needs to be repaid. 鈥淧reviously, we would almost spend a year without knowing the status of our loan,鈥� she says. 鈥淣ow we can learn the status of our loans monthly. This never existed before.鈥�

Better Information

She also credits the system with making her a better and more informed oil palm farmer. 鈥淎t the end of the month I get an SMS that shows how much I have harvested from my lot,鈥� she says. Before the system came online, she says the family was spending a lot of money on transport going to and from the KOPGT office.

鈥淥il palm has not only impacted my life, but also the community,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here are many farmers who are like me who have built houses and some have bought cars. They have used the money they got from oil palm to start new businesses on Kalangala and outside.鈥�

Big Dreams

Berna says her hopes and dreams are enormous. 鈥淚 have started to achieve some of them,鈥� she says. 鈥淣ow, because I have a permanent house, I am able to sleep well, my children no longer get sick, and I鈥檓 sure that the winds won鈥檛 take my house.鈥�

鈥淣ow, we are able to take our children to school. We can live a decent life. We have some place to stay, and we get paid every month. We are sure that our life has greatly changed,鈥� she adds. And although she doesn鈥檛 yet own a car, she hopes to learn to drive in the coming years.

Meanwhile, she says she wants to thank everyone for their help. 鈥淲hat gives me confidence is we have good officers at KOPGT that have tried to give us a good direction. We hope that when they continue doing what they are doing our lives will be impacted greatly.鈥�

Berna鈥檚 confidence and newly found optimism reflects the success of the vegetable oil program on Kalangala island. Because palm fruits can be harvested throughout the year 鈥� compared to one or two seasonal harvests 鈥� and have high yields, palm farming has become a viable alternative for the residents.

Palm oil is already the most widely used vegetable oil on the planet, with about 71 million tons consumed in 2021. And there is not only a domestic need, but also a demand from the foreign market that Ugandan smallholder farmers like Berna鈥檚 family and neighbors can help fill.

This article first appeared on the 51风流News Center.听

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From the need for more sustainable alternatives to the way we do business to the incomparable impact of AI on every facet of our personal and professional lives, African executives face a challenging time ahead, says at 51风流Africa.

What is in store for African enterprises in 2024? The global economy continues to be in a state of flux as geopolitical conflict, supply chain pressures, inflation, technology-led disruption and changing consumer needs put pressure on companies and decision-makers.

From the desperate need for more sustainable alternatives to the way we do business to the incomparable impact of AI on every facet of our personal and professional lives, business leaders face a challenging time ahead. By taking stock of emerging trends, however, business leaders may be better able to ride the waves of change and steer their companies through turbulent waters.

These are the key trends that African enterprises should take heed of in 2024:

AI adoption

received an astonishing amount of hype in 2023, and was a bolt of lightning that made every business and technology leader sit up and take notice. Today, it is not a matter of if businesses will adopt AI, but rather how quickly they can deploy and enjoy AI-driven benefits.

In 2024, business leaders will look beyond the hype and seek AI solutions that deliver real-life use cases and benefits. At an operational level, organisations may quickly realise that the quality of their AI outcomes depend largely on the quality of their data.

Technology providers will be indispensable in this conversation, thanks to the huge volumes of data and transactions running through their systems and broader business network. Business leaders will leverage the technology providers鈥� expertise to access the data they need, visualise it, and take decisive actions to drive successful outcomes.

Sustainability centre stage

As the world continues to warm and the consequences of climate change hit home for billions of people, will take centre stage in the business and technology world.

In 2024, the energy industry will shed its view of the customer as simply a commodity user in favour of the prosumer model. Industry leaders will aim to not only secure loyalty and create retail-like experiences, but encourage users to make active contributions to the stability and health of the grid.

This may involve keeping customers informed of how they can make the best, most sustainable decisions over energy use, or see consumers feed excess energy, for example from rooftop solar, into the grid to stabilise supply and contribute clean energy.

In addition, mounting pressure from regulators, consumers and investors will see organisations build more sustainable supply chains with lower carbon emissions and greater use of circular economy principles. This will require extensive innovation in data and analytics to provide business leaders with end-to-end visibility over their environmental impact across the broader supply chain.

Those companies that do succeed in leveraging technology to build truly eco-conscious supply chains will not only unlock new sources of innovation and revenue, but secure long-term profitability for years to come.

Procurement advances

In the rush for digitalisation, enterprises will continue to enhance their procurement processes, driving the need for more intuitive user interfaces. Procurement is evolving from a tactical to a strategic function to drive greater value throughout the organisation.

AI and analytics will be deployed to support procurement professionals as they seek ways to spend more time on value-adding tasks. In 2024, the demand for technologies that enable value-based procurement will increase, enhancing the organisation鈥檚 ability to leverage procurement to deliver value in other parts of the business, such as sustainability.

Resilient supply chains

Global supply chains are still under severe pressure, thanks to a combination of geopolitical disruption, inflation, environmental factors and the ongoing ripple effects of the pandemic. In 2024, expect a surge in supply chain technology investments as organisations seek greater visibility, agility and risk resilience.

In particular, AI holds huge promise for its ability to enhance organisations鈥� ability to sense, recognise and react to disruptions and opportunities in new and exciting ways. The key to unlocking AI鈥檚 benefits hinges on connected data and collaboration throughout the organisation.

Business leaders must lead the charge by ensuring AI is integrated with every layer of the supply chain network to achieve measurable business outcomes. This will unleash a new era of hyper-predictive and efficient logistics, revolutionising the way goods flow from factory floor to consumers.

This article first appeared on .

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The global economy continues to be in a state of flux as geopolitical conflict, supply chain pressures, inflation, technology-led disruption and changing consumer needs put pressure on companies and decision-makers.

From the desperate need for more sustainable alternatives to the way we do business to the incomparable impact of AI on every facet of our personal and professional lives, business leaders face a challenging time ahead. By taking stock of emerging trends, however, business leaders may be better able to ride the waves of change and steer their companies through turbulent waters.

These are the key trends that African enterprises should take heed of in 2024:

Trend 1: AI adoption becomes grounded in business value

Generative AI received an astonishing amount of hype in 2023, and was a bolt of lightning that made every business and technology leader sit up and take notice. Today, it’s not a matter of if businesses will adopt AI, but rather how quickly they can deploy and enjoy AI-driven benefits.

In 2024, business leaders will look beyond the hype and seek AI solutions that deliver real-life use cases and benefits. At an operational level, organisations may quickly realise that the quality of their AI outcomes depend largely on the quality of their data.

Technology providers such as 51风流will be indispensable in this conversation, thanks to the huge volumes of data and transactions running through their systems and broader business network. Business leaders will leverage the tech providers’ expertise to access the data they need, visualise it, and take decisive actions to drive successful outcomes.

Trend 2: Sustainability takes centre stage

As the world continues to warm and the consequences of climate change hit home for billions of people, sustainability will take centre stage in the business and technology world.

In 2024, the energy industry will shed its view of the customer as simply a commodity user in favour of the prosumer model. Industry leaders will aim to not only secure loyalty and create retail-like experiences, but encourage users to make active contributions to the stability and health of the grid.

This may involve keeping customers informed of how they can make the best, most sustainable decisions over energy use, or see consumers feed excess energy – for example from rooftop solar – into the grid to stabilise supply and contribute clean energy.

In addition, mounting pressure from regulators, consumers and investors will see organisations build more sustainable supple chains with lower carbon emissions and greater use of circular economy principles. This will require extensive innovation in data and analytics to provide business leaders with end-to-end visibility over their environmental impact across the broader supply chain.

Those companies that do succeed in leveraging technology to build truly eco-conscious supply chains will not only unlock new sources of innovation and revenue, but secure long-term profitability for years to come.

Trend 3: Procurement advances are powered by User Experience

In the rush for digitalisation, enterprises will continue to enhance their procurement processes, driving the need for more intuitive user interfaces. Procurement is evolving from a tactical to a strategic function to drive greater value throughout the organisation.

AI and analytics will be deployed to support procurement professionals as they seek ways to spend more time on value-adding tasks. In 2024, the demand for technologies that enable value-based procurement will increase, enhancing the organisation’s ability to leverage procurement to deliver value in other parts of the business, such as sustainability.

Trend 4: Supply chains become more resilient

Global supply chains are still under severe pressure, thanks to a combination of geopolitical disruption, inflation, environmental factors and the ongoing ripple effects of the pandemic. In 2024, expect a surge in supply chain technology investments as organisations seek greater visibility, agility and risk resilience.

In particular, AI holds huge promise for its ability to enhance organisations’ ability to sense, recognise and react to disruptions and opportunities in new and exciting ways. The key to unlocking AI’s benefits hinges on connected data and collaboration throughout the organisation.

Business leaders must lead the charge by ensuring AI is integrated with every layer of the supply chain network to achieve measurable business outcomes. This will unleash a new era of hyper-predictive and efficient logistics, revolutionising the way goods flow from factory floor to consumers.

The post AI, Sustainability and Supply Chain Resilience: What 2024 Holds in Store for African Enterprises appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Someone who seized this opportunity is Jonny Rowland. Having spent a big part of his childhood in Uganda, he saw the opportunity in the growing thirst for sustainable, high-quality coffee 鈥� and an opportunity to ensure that coffee farmers would receive their fair share in this business. Together with his sister Beth, he founded , a profit-for-purpose business that works directly with local farmers to achieve higher yields and the high quality coffee that is sought after on the global market.

With the support of local experts working for Agri Evolve, farmers have improved their productivity and increased income for themselves, their families, and their communities. The main idea of this social enterprise is to use digital technology to improve established supply chains for coffee cherries in the Rwenzori Mountains, one of Uganda鈥檚 key habitats for Arabica coffee plants, and share the latest agricultural practices with local farmers.

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A Long-Lasting Tradition: Coffee in Uganda

Uganda is one of the few countries in the world where coffee plants are native. The processed beans are an integral part of Uganda’s export economy, making the country one of the 10 largest coffee producers in the world. In recent years, Uganda has made a name for its specialty Arabica, which thrives in the local climate with humid days and cool nights. But Arabica coffee, a climate sensitive plant, is beginning to struggle as global warming shortens the cooler phases it needs to thrive. This requires adjusting the traditional ways of cultivating the cherries.

Over 1.8 million households in Uganda grow coffee, and听coffee contributes nearly a third of the country’s export earnings, paying for critical infrastructure like roads, hospitals, and schools. While many families grow coffee, it was hard to make a living out of it in the past and motivation to produce high quality was low as prices on global markets wouldn鈥檛 justify the effort.

Joyce Birungi is one of the coffee farmers living high in the rainforest of the Rwenzori Mountains who registered with Agri Evolve as a supplier. Like most farmers in this remote area, she took care of the plants based on traditions passed down over generations. The cherries were often picked too early and only ripened while drying in the sun for longer periods, which caused a loss in quality and therefore lower prices. Climate changes, like increases in floods, droughts, and heat waves, put additional pressure on the traditional ways of farming.

鈥淚n the past, I used to pick coffee cherries of poor quality. So, I lost a lot of money,鈥� Birungi said, explaining her challenges as a small local producer before working with Agri Evolve. 鈥淭ransportation was a big challenge. I had no way of selling the coffee and I didn鈥檛 know about best practices in farming and agribusiness.”

Collins Kifula is a field coordinator at Agri Evolve and an expert for sustainability and quality. He works closely with the farmers, registering each farmer using a mobile app based on the 51风流Rural Sourcing Management solution and collecting data like the size of the farm and the state of the coffee trees. Using the mobile app saves time 鈥� time he can use to talk to the farmers and solve issues they might be facing or suggest improvements to their current setup. One important focus of his work is education on soil protection. With floods happening more frequently these days, farmers benefit from terraces and planting grass patches to avoid the fertile soil being washed away by rain.

As Agri Evolve is specialized in high-quality, sustainable coffee, certification is required. 鈥淲e need to hold up to a certain level of quality and we do that by getting, for example, the . To receive this, we need to raise data and have the transparency. Here, the mobile app within 51风流Rural Sourcing Management is of huge help,鈥� Kifula explained.

鈥淭echnology Is Changing Things鈥�

The biggest challenges the farmers faced before starting to work with Agri Evolve was the quality of the cherries and the lack of price transparency. Sometimes there was even fraud along the process of collecting the cherries. 鈥淭echnology is changing things,鈥� Kifula said.

Today, farmers still deliver their cherries to so-called middlemen who check the quality, but they now document the weight using the 51风流app. The farmers instantly receive an SMS message showing the delivered quantity and its value. 鈥淭his price transparency is a big motivation for the farmers and creates trust,鈥� he said. Further, 51风流Rural Sourcing Management enables the calculation of the accrued delivery quantities and therefore the yield a farm is producing, which are used as the assessment basis to provide loans to the farmers.

Keeping Track of Data

鈥淥ur mission is to do sustainable farming for future generations. As a social enterprise, Agri Evolve works with a growing number of farmers, which can quickly add complexity to our supply chain. Today, we deal with around 22,000 smallholders. We collect a lot of data that needs to be analyzed,鈥� Roset Biira, field supervisor at Agri Evolve, said. “We needed a system that collects and analyzes our data in an efficient way 鈥� to be able to be transparent to all our farmers and even our clients.鈥� Using 51风流Analytics Cloud, Biira showed how Agri Evolve can identify if coffee trees are getting old or are weakened by pests early on. Based on these predictions, they consult with the farmers on planting new trees or suggest trainings on pest control.

Realizing Change

Agri Evolve is building a network of trust with the farmers and middlemen, making sure to give the best price possible to the farmers so that the local societies participate in the higher prices sustainable coffee can generate on the global markets.

鈥淚鈥檓 now able to increase my coffee production and send my kids to school, and I hope that they will graduate from university and have better lives. We used to live in semi-permanent houses, but now we are moving to permanent housing,鈥� Birungi said when asked what impact this new way of collaboration has had on her and her family.

Talking about the future of the growing profit-for-purpose business and its network of local coffee producers, Beth Rowland, co-founder of Agri Evolve, said: 鈥淲e will continue to push the boundaries of supply chain transparency through digitalization to allow us to provide the best service to smallholder farmers in the Rwenzoris.鈥� For the family business, it is important to ensure connected farmers have access to a fair and transparent market for their coffee cherries.

While sharing sustainable practices to counteract the impact of environmental changes is a requirement for the production of certified sustainable coffee, it will also make sure that the tradition of coffee production will live on in the Rwenzori mountains of Uganda.

This article first appeared on the 51风流News Center.

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