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Certification

The society has undergone the following certification processes in good agricultural practices:

Rainforest Alliance (RA) Certification

Baragwi F.C.S. through the assistance of SMS Ltd and TChibo GmBh undertook a Rainforest Alliance certification programme which improved the quality, quantity and prices of coffee. The society was audited against Rainforest Alliance standards early in the month of March 2011 and received the Rainforest Alliance certificate in August 2011.

The 10 guiding principles for this certification include:

  1. Social and Environmental Management System. Social and environmental management systems are in place so that auditors can confirm that farms are operated in compliance with the standards.
  2. Ecosystem Conservation. Farmers conserve existing ecosystem and aid in the ecological restoration of critical areas.
  3. Wildlife Protection. Certified farms serve as refuge for wildlife, and therefore farmers monitor wildlife species on their farms.
  4. Water resource conservation. Farmers conserve water by keeping track of water sources and consumption.
  5. Fair treatment and good working conditions for workers. Farmers ensure good working conditions for all employees as defined by international bodies such as UN or ILO. There is no forced or child labour and all forms of discrimination and abuse.
  6. Occupational Health and Safety. Certified farms have occupational health and safety programs to reduce the risk of accidents.
  7. Community Relations. Farmers are good to neighbours and inform surrounding community and other local interest groups about their activities and plans.
  8. Integrated Crop Management. Elimination of chemical products that pose danger to people and environment is encouraged.
  9. Soil management and conservation. Certified farms take steps to prevent erosion, base fertilisation on crop requirements and soil characteristics and use organic matter to enrich the soil.
  10. Integrated Waste Management. Certified farms are clean and orderly with programs for managing waste through recycling, reducing consumption and reuse.

Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C) Verification

Baragwi F.C.S. in partnership with SMS Ltd, Sangana Commodities, GIZ and TChibo GmBh implemented the Coffee Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation Program dubbed as Sangana PPP . This is a verifiable climate module under the normal 4C standard. The society passed the verification and was awarded the following licences:

  1. 4C
  2. 4C Climate Change

The society is devoted to continue improving to maintain the already received certificate and licenses for the benefit of the farmers.

Mount Kenya Project

Baragwi F.C.S. in partnership with Tchibo and SMS Ltd have started an initiative to implement a community project in the society. The project is targeting women who are grouped under 4 pillars of:

The women groups are drawn from all the 12 wet mills of Baragwi FCS, each wet mill contributing 1 (one) group as a pilot project.

The implementation is in high momentum and will have results of improved livelihood in the families. The project is looking forward to engaging the ladies and their line families with socio-economic activities that will reduce poverty and business knowledge gap in the community.

All the groups were exposed and trained on energy saving jikos (stoves) that reduce use of firewood by over 75% and cooking time by 50%. The adoption of the jiko is very high among families and will translate to conservation of the ecosystem and more time to other socio-economic activities.

The Society is fully supporting Mt. Kenya Project in ensuring that they will be able to sustain themselves. Currently we are storing the tents and items for school groups and shall give them a ground for construction of a kitchen and tent store, we shall let the dairy group an office in one of our strategically positioned buildings for their business and give them guidance on funds and water management and leadership skills.