Smart Accountability in the Rwandan Coffee Sector

Ranjan Shrestha of SNV (Netherlands Development Organization) in Rwanda will facilitate communication between smallholder coffee producers and district coffee taskforces to boost the coffee sector in Rwanda. District coffee taskforces composed of public, private, and non-profit members meet quarterly to discuss current issues, including production and market access, and to develop action plans. Coffee producers are largely excluded from these proceedings due to communication barriers. A pilot test will be conducted by training youths to record the current concerns of local coffee producers using smart phones, and to visually present the data for ease of transmission to the taskforces via internet. The approach will be monitored by analyzing the numbers and types of issues raised and by who, and how they are addressed, as well as evaluating how the approach is perceived by users.