Strategic Value Addition and Performance of Coffee Export Project during Covid-19 Era in Rwanda: A Case Study of Charles Dorman Rwanda, Kamonyi District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t2224Abstract
This research investigated the impact of strategic value addition on the coffee export industry in Rwanda, particularly during the Covid-19 era, using Charles Dorman Rwanda in Kamonyi District as a case study. The study aimed to assess the influence of factors such as coffee accessibility to the global market, the involvement of coffee farmers, and the presence of high-quality coffee washing stations, and skilled labor on the export project's performance. Through a descriptive research design, data were collected from 124 respondents through questionnaires and from 9 senior managers and board members through semi-structured interviews. The sample size was determined using the Slovene formula, and respondents were selected through simple random sampling. SPSS version 24 was utilized to analyze the data, employing descriptive statistics, as well as correlation and regression analysis to uncover the relationships between the variables. The results have showed that training coffee farmers showed strong correlations with market expansion (r = 0.837), profitability (r = 0.804), and stakeholder satisfaction (r = 0.895). Higher quality coffee washing stations showed significant correlations with market expansion (r = 0.880), profitability (r = 0.910), and stakeholder satisfaction (r = 0.919). Voluntary coffee certification demonstrated strong correlations with market expansion (r = 0.884), profitability (r = 0.883), and stakeholder satisfaction (r = 0.892). In addition, other factors like market demand, financial support, and export incentives revealed highly significant positive correlations with market expansion, profitability, and stakeholder satisfaction. These findings underscore the multifaceted drivers shaping the project's performance. This study has demonstrated that training coffee farmers, investing in higher quality coffee washing stations, and implementing voluntary coffee certification significantly enhance the performance of the Charles Dorman coffee export project in Rwanda. Recommendations are made on continued government investment in coffee farmer training, improvements in coffee washing stations, streamlined certification processes, and active stakeholder engagement as well as collaboration since it is vital for project success and sustainability.
Keywords: Strategic value addition, coffee export, Charles Dorman, Kamonyi District, Rwanda
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