COOPTHE MULINDI – GUTEZA IMBERE UBUHINZI BW'ICYAYI

Cooperative Theïcole de Mulindi

Cooperative Theïcole de Mulindi is a tea-growing cooperative located and operating at Mulindi, in Gicumbi district of Northern Province. We operates in 6 administrative sectors (KANIGA, MUKARANGE, SHANGASHA, BYUMBA, MANYAGIRO, and CYUMBA) with a total area of 885.79 ha (including 695 ha under tea plantation and 190.8 ha which is not planted) and 8.5 ha of forest.

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Training and extension
services

These includes agricultural training and assistance to improve farming techniques, and access to high-quality inputs such as seeds and fertilizers. Additionally, COOPTHE provides a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among its members, fostering a supportive community and enabling collective growth and development in the tea industry.

Marketing and advocacy services

COOPTHE Mulindi extends to its members is the marketing of green tea leaves and the representation in price negotiations. We represents the interests of its members in the relevant forums and platforms including the Federation of Tea Growers, the Union, NAEB, Gicumbi District, and tea development partners. It is through these forums and settings that COOPTHE obtains tea development support for its members.

Employment opportunities

The Cooperative’s tea growing provides on-farm employment opportunities to the local community which serves to improve the economic development of the local community and the country in general. For the year 2023, COOPTHE employed 23 permanent employees and 1,735 casual laborers. A total of FRW 707,874,714 was paid to the workers in terms of remuneration.

Social Services

We extends cash advances for emergency cases; provides guarantees to members who wish to obtain loans from the Mulindi Tea Growers Ishema SACCO; supports members to obtain a community collective health insurance for 4 members in each family, Ejo Heza pension scheme contributions for members, and Life Insurance. The factory provides milling services to the communities and provides a market for their maize harvest. Other social impact activities include a baby care center, a primary and secondary school, and helping vulnerable families directly or through the local authorities.

Our Members

999+

Overall Objectives

To improve and dignify the livelihoods of its members and the surrounding communities by increasing their incomes and social status through the development and improvement of the production of tea leaves and social inclusion.

Specific Objectives: To achieve the above-stated goal and the cooperative’s mission, COOPTHE will pursue the following specific objectives.

To increase production from 5,570,427 Kg in 2022 to 7,394,407 Kg in 2028
Improve the quality of the green tea leaves from 40% in 2023 to 65% in 2028.
To improve the social-economic welfare of members and the community.
To improve efficiency and the working relationship with Mulindi Factory Company (MFC)

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COOPTHES Pricing Strategy

Pricing is dependent on forces of demand and supply in the international market where the quality of the tea plays a significant influence. The higher-grade tea at the auction fetches higher demand and, therefore higher prices. However, the National Agricultural Export Board (NAEB) of Rwanda intervenes to protect the farmer’s interests by ensuring that the farmers can recover the cost of production. Through meetings with FERWACOTHE (the federation of tea cooperatives in Rwanda), and the Tea Factories in Rwanda, a pricing structure is established by NAEB every quarter and shared with all cooperatives and tea factories, showing the list of deductions, and net payable to farmers. This pricing strategy is projected to continue in the foreseeable future. During the last quarter of 2023, COOPTHE’s green tea leaves were priced at FRW 289/Kg.

The Goal of Cooperative Theïcole de Mulindi

To promote good governance of the cooperative society by strengthening member participation in activities and decision-making, offering rapid, quality services adapted to the wishes of cooperators and various partners

To contribute to the improvement of tea production in quantity and quality through the valorization of the infrastructures in place in the area of action, the protection of the environment, the intense collaboration with the structures of the local administration and the general population;

To strengthen the role of COOPTHE Mulindi in the organization of tea activities, notably through involvement in producer organizations at local, national, and sub-regional levels as well as partnership with various actors and stakeholders in the field of the production, packaging, and marketing of tea.