Agriculture employs 90% of Burundi’s population and is the backbone of the country’s economy. USAID aided with the commercialization of Burundi’s most lucrative value chain, the coffee sector, through discussions with the World Bank. As a result of USAID-supported legislative changes, large U.S. and European corporations now buy coffee directly from producers.
Coffee
All across the world, people adore and enjoy Burundian coffee because of its high quality and flavor. In 2017, the Alliance for Coffee Excellence identified it as the best foreign exchange provider for the nation (between 60 and 85% of export revenues).
However, Burundi’s annual production is insufficient to meet the demand from abroad. For instance, only 73,020 tons of cherry coffee were gathered in 2020. While there are 2.6 billion cups consumed every day around the world, it shipped 13,106 tons of processed ones. which translates to 936 billion cups annually.
Burundi, a tea-twinkling land
Burundi is fortunate to have a land where tea grows well. On the Nile–Congo ridge, the crop is grown in Mugamba, Bututsi, and Mirwa (1700–2500 m), which constitute up 15% of the country’s 27.834 km2.
Production of tea offers an enormous possibility, especially for export. 8,699 tons of the 10,240 tons of dry tea sold in 2019 were exported.
Six locally produced goods dominated Burundi exports in the second term of 2020; tea, wheat flour, cigars and cigarettes, coffee, beers, and alcoholic beverages. They account for 81.3% of all exports, with tea accounting for 41.2% of that amount.
3,115 acres of state-owned land in Burundi that had been illegally leased to private parties have been reclaimed. The entire land will be allocated to individuals or organizations with relevant agricultural-related economic projects.
Burundian cotton, a sleeping giant
Internationally, Burundian cotton is highly regarded and valued. It might be a significant source of foreign currency. But as a result of several causes, including the crises the nation experienced, its production has drastically decreased from 8,000 tons to fewer than 3,000 per year. Additionally, the area designated for its production shrank from 10,000 hectares (in 1920) to 2,500 hectares (today).
Burundi’s government has launched a revitalization strategy for the textile industry to address the needs of domestic, regional, and worldwide textile producers. Over the next nine years, production is expected to increase to 5,000 tons. The amount of land under cultivation for the crop will be increased to at least 12,000 hectares. Textile manufacturers have a lucrative chance thanks to this initiative.
Skins and leather
Burundi must significantly boost its animal population to meet the demands of the national, regional, and global leather industries.
Two regional raw hides (raw material) processing industries, AFRITAN and SINOBU, are experiencing trouble procuring supplies. The installed capacity of the AFRITAN facility, for instance, is 15 tons per day. But as of right present, its daily average production is only thought to be 2.5 tons. Only roughly 20% of its potential power is used when it runs.
Burundi continues to rely on imports in this industry because of this. The projected value of imported skins and leather goods in 2017 was BIF 6,779.3 million. They total BIF 6,123 million in 2018. The value of imports of live animals and animal products in 2018 was BIF 11,686.4 million.
Sugar
Burundi is still reliant on sugar imports because there is just one sugar-producing facility (SOSUMO). It cost US $ 30.1 million to import that material in 2019. Another illustration is, to meet the national demand and finish the annual production of sugar, it imported 3,038.100 tons of sugar in 2017.
This nation’s domestic market will gain from the creation of a sugarcane plantation and manufacturing facility, with the potential to export to other East African Community members.
