Description
The Timuza Coffee Cooperative represents about 260 smallholder farmers of the Kamano tribal group, located southwest of Kainantu in the hamlets surrounding Namura town. The soils are a mix of black & brownish red loam, with predominantly traditional typica grown under casuarina and albizia shade trees. Average farm size is 1.4 hectares per family, with adjacent gardens for cultivation of food crops such as sweet potato, taro, and cassava. Farmers have received training and assistance in financial management, gender equality, coffee husbandry and standards for processing through local partners. The harvest takes place from April through September, with selective harvest of ripe cherry, manually pulping, fermentation in traditional bilum bags, washing, and full sun-drying. In 2016, Timuza placed 1st in the National Cupping Competition.
