Burundi Coffee Green
Department of State Washington File: USAID Funding Volunteer Program to Address World's Coffee Crisis
Franco said his agency's effort to form partnerships with private corporations and organizations will help coffee-producing countries affected by the sharp fall of world coffee prices. For instance, USAID's agreement with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters of Vermont will support the development of small- and medium-scale coffee producers that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. ... The Coffee Corps volunteers will develop projects to address the business needs of small coffee farmers. Potential projects may range from consulting on post-harvest processing improvements to environmental issues. The volunteers will be experts in the coffee industry who are willing to share their time and talent with coffee farmers and coffee communities. USAID will provide initial funding for the program, while CQI will pay for volunteers' travel and basic living costs during their assignments, which will typically run for about two weeks. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
Fresh tropical fruits, such as bananas, a papayas, mangoes, pineapples, Japanese plums, citrus, avocados, and strawberries are available and inexpensive. Vegetables, including cucumbers, green beans, dried beans and lentils, green peas, cabbage, tomatoes, artichokes, carrots, cauliflower, beets, lettuce, potatoes, turnips, onions, the green onions, leeks, and green peppers are also inexpensively available. Fresh spices are also found, including thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, sage, cilantro, fennel and parsley. ... [Read More]
Background Notes Archive - Africa
U.S. Department of StateBackground Notes: Rwanda, June 1996Bureau of African AffairsPrepared and released by the Bureau of African Affairs,Office of Central African AffairsJune 1996Official Name: Republic of RwandaPROFILEGeographyArea: 26,338 sq. km. (10,169 sq. km.); About the size of Maryland.Cities: Capital--Kigali (Pop 120,000 est.); Other cities--Gitarama, Butare, Ruhengeri, Gisenyi.Terrain: Uplands and hills.Climate: Mild and temperate, with two rainy seasons.PeopleNationality: noun and adjective--Rwandan(s).Population: (1991) - 7.2 million, 1995 post-war estimate - 6.0 million.Annual Growth rate: Over 3 % pre-war.Ethnic groups: Hutu 85%, Tutsi 14%, Twa 1%.Religions: Christian 74%, Traditional African 25%, Muslim 1%.Languages: French, English, Kinyarwanda.Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--70% (pre-war). Literacy--50%.Health: Infant Mortality Rate--117/1,000. Life expectancy--47 yrs. Work force: Agriculture--92%. Industry and commerce, services and governm ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
The Republic of Rwanda is located along the Great Rift Valley in the mountains of east central Africa and covers 10,169 square miles, 4,587 sq. miles of which is water. Slightly smaller than the state of Maryland, Rwanda is circular in shape. The eastern boundary is shared with Tanzania; Uganda lies to the north; the west borders the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) and Lake Kivu; Burundi lies to the south. The western edge of the country along the Congo/Nile watershed rises steeply, formed by a chain of volcanoes called the Virunga Mountains. It is here that the country's highest point, the volcano Karisimbi at an elevation of 14,782 feet, is found. Gisenyi, a town at the northern end of Lake Kivu, enjoys spectacular vistas of the surrounding volcanoes. Rwanda’s green valleys produce beans, sorghum, corn, manioc, Irish potatoes, rice, sweet potatoes, soybeans, bananas, coffee, and tea. ... [Read More]
Tanzania (08/00)
Agriculture (60% of GDP): Products--coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco, cloves, sisal, cashew nuts maize. ... Flag: Diagonal yellow-edged black band from lower left to upper right; green field at upper left, blue field at lower right. ... Agriculture dominates the economy, providing more than 60% of GDP and 80% of employment. Cash crops, including coffee, tea, cotton, cashews, sisal, cloves, and pyrethrum account for the vast majority of export earnings. The volume of all major crops--both cash and goods, which have been marketed through official channels--have increased over the past few years, but large amounts of produce never reach the market. Poor pricing and unreliable cash flow to farmers continue to frustrate the agricultural sector. ... [Read More]
U.S. Refugee Admissions Program News, Volume 1, Issue 2
After a week of training and orientation in Nairobi, the team set off in a chartered cargo plane for Kakuma. Balancing our luggage at our feet, from the windows we watched the terrain change from cool green to dusty brown. After hearing so much about the camp and receiving so many different instructions and tips on how to survive there, we were anxious to arrive. Each team member brought what s/he considered to be survival aides: one officer brought his guitar; another had a bottle of hot sauce; others carried a coffee pot, enough protein bars for every meal, and a couple of cans of sardines. My own suitcase was loaded with books. We believed ourselves to be prepared, and for the most part we were. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
St. Luke’s Catholic Church has weekly Sunday mass in English at 9:45 am. When the congregation was larger, Catechism classes were held after mass. These were administered by the parents and, depending on the ages of the children attending, the activities included first communion and confession classes, bible study classes, confirmation classes, and teenage religion classes. At present, a “Coffee Sunday” is held after mass the last Sunday of every month. St. Luke’s and various other Catholic churches throughout the city offer mass delivered in Lingala (a local language) and French. Education Dependent EducationLast Updated: 11/20/2004 6:33 AM ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
A selection of fresh fruits and vegetables are available seasonally. Green beans, tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, eggplant, onions, potatoes, and garlic are of fair-to-good quality and available most of the year. Tropical fruits such as coconuts, pineapples, papayas, bananas, limes, avocados, watermelons and mangoes are plentiful, but seasonal. You can find apples and oranges pretty regularly. ... The Dar es Salaam Public Library has an aging collection of books for children and adults. The British Council has a very good collection of books. At the Embassy, the Community Liaison Office maintains a limited lending library. It includes travel books, some novels, brochures and catalogs. The CLO also has an East Africa Library, which includes books about the history of the region, religious development, economic and cultural topics, and a number of travel and coffeetable books, as well as film documentaries about the region. ... [Read More]
J) Europe and Central Asia
Cannabis. As a result of intensified controls, in 2000 the number of coffee shops where cannabis can be used dropped by 31 percent from the 1997 figure of 813 to 642. A 2001 evaluation report of Dutch "coffee shop" policy showed that, in 2000, 81 percent of the 538 municipalities in the Netherlands did not tolerate any shops at all. According to the report, about half the coffee shops were in the four largest cities. The report also concluded that the stricter measures for sales of cannabis products in coffee shops have not led to a drop in drug "tourism." ... [Read More]
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