Togo hosts major roundtable to promote African robusta output
The African and Malagasy Robusta Coffee Agency (ACRAM), an international organisation that brings together private and public players in the industry, is holding its 9th ordinary general assembly in Lomé. On April 30, 2021, the case will come to an end.
Other participants at the roundtable included representatives from the World Bank, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the European Union, in addition to representatives from the ACRAM’s 12 State members (EU). They talk about how to resurrect the African robusta sector, which was largely unaffected by the Covid-19 crisis.
According to Togolese Enselme Gouthon, president of ACRAM, the meeting “aims to encourage the sharing of practises and solutions that will help producing countries to better respond to the impacts of the coronavirus health crisis.”
The inclusion of women and youth in the coffee value chain is another hot issue that is currently being discussed.
The Robusta variety, which originated in Africa, accounts for 35 percent of global coffee production. It has a higher caffeine content than Arabica, ranging from 1.7 to 4% compared to 0.8 to 1.4 percent. Togo produces about 7,000 tonnes of coffee and 6,000 tonnes of cocoa per year.
