The 2024 main harvest (March–July) mobilised more than 1,800 women producers in the agroforestry plantations of Kalehe, between 1,400 and 2,600 metres altitude. These women growers handle the manual selection of ripe cherries — a decisive step for specialty coffee quality.
Each Muungano woman producer masters selective hand-picking: only fully ripe red cherries are harvested, leaving green cherries on the branch for later picking. This practice, taught during the cooperative's agronomic training sessions, directly contributes to the high SCA scores achieved by Muungano coffee.
The cherries are then transported within 24 hours to the washing stations for pulping and controlled fermentation — guaranteeing complete traceability from plot to cup.
