Level Ground trades with Lima Ltd in Tanzania. Lima operates the HOPE project where farmers are paid a fair price for raw cherries collected at stations called Central Pulpery Units (CPU). Once collected, Lima then mills, sorts and transports the coffee for export. Final exporting is handled by Schluter Ltd. Level Ground purchases account for 50% of the HOPE Project coffee and 2% of Lima’s coffee exports.
Trading Partner
Lima Ltd/HOPE Project
Partnership Established
2006
Location
South East of Tanzania near the Malawi / Zambian border in the province of Mbeya
Type of Organization
Private company
Certifications
Certified organic by TanCert on behalf of IMO Control
Farmer Profile
Farmers near Mbeya, work small, diversified plots growing a variety of fruits, veggies and spices, as well as coffee. Coffee makes up half of household income and is the only crop grown for export. Level Ground works with the HOPE project in Mbeya, which buys from over 3,800 farming families.
Area
Clustered around Sange (21 km from the Malawi border) and Luswisi
Altitude
1,200-1,850m
Harvest
April through October
Species
Coffea arábica
Variety
Bourbon
Shade Grown
Some shade growing practices
Direct Fair Trade Premiums
In 2010, Level Ground premiums helped fund healthcare for 178 members and their households (representing 675 people). Direct Fair Trade premiums from Level Ground’s purchases also help fund the HOPE Projects' training in organic farming methods as well as soil and shade conservation.
