The North of Zambia is a secret hot-spot for fine flavour coffee. It holds great potential to generate tangible social and environmental impacts alsongside excellent coffee.
The business approach and the production system of aromatic specialty coffee on Mount Sunzu is a showcase for next-generation entrepreneurship integrating positive impact and economical autarky.
On the 780-hectare property in Northern Zambia high-quality Arabica coffee is produced. However, only 200 hectares are used for coffee production. In full production, we expect a yearly harvest of 2.0 tons per hectare, respectively 400 tons in total. Several high-quality varieties are planted under a water-efficient irrigation system. Thanks to following technological advantages, the farm catapultes itself to the forefront of sustainable agriculture:
Precision agriculture is applied to reduce fertilizer CO2 footprint by combining newest yield estimate methods for fertilizer planning and using fertigation.
Promotion of beneficial insects, preserving various natural habitats for beneficials (e.g. birds, parasitoid insects, entomophagous fungi), cultivation of resistant coffee varieties, setting up trials for replacing synthetic pesticides by introducing biological control agents
Mulching, incorporation of manure and compost, targeted plant nutrition based on soil and leave samples, precision application of plant nutrition, light tractors and equipment to avoid soil compaction and erosion, brachiaria cover-crop from Brazil with high C/N ratio between the coffee rows used for mulching into the coffee rows, increase organic matter production from by-products and leaf litter
State-of-the-art irrigation system allowing precision application only in the coffee rows (not in the inter-rows), reducing run-off, evaporation and increasing water-use efficiency, processing plant uses recycled water, wastewater purification, safe 35% of the water by using special nozzles
Recycling of 100% of the by-products in the coffee production, upcycling the waste for usage in coffee fields or as cattle fodder, omit methane emission through coffee waste management. Immediate waste recycling is applied to eradicate methane emissions from the processing.
Harnessing solar energy to generate power, combine PV-power with irrigation system, avoid CO2 emissions from alternative energy production (e.g. diesel powered back-up generator), conserve energy by using 30% less energy for irrigation by using LEPA nozzles
Substituting of harmful practices such as poaching and logging with environmentally friendly income activities (honey production) which sustain forests and ecosystems, top-bar beehives from sustainable materials
Protection of 605 hectares are of Miombo forest and Dambo wetlands in their original state. These are High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) areas and create ecosystem value.
for irrigation by using LEPA nozzles.