Doing right by the coffee farmers of Uganda: Agri Evolve are the Real Deal

Green coffee is generally a commodity produced by developing countries and consumed by developed countries, unsurprisingly it is big business. It is often hard to validate claims of corporate social responsibility and ethical standards in a world which is turned by the torque of marketing, so, as a roaster: how do you know whether your green coffee supplier is a business which is trying to do some good in the country they export from? With no direct experience of transnational business and minimal exposure to the realities of living in a developing country, it is not easy to answer this question. Ultimately, it is down to judgement, but here are some rudiments which have informed the decisions of Counterpoint Coffee: the establishment of a relationship with your supplier to better understand their practices; looking into the supplier’s accreditations and reading their published online content; and also, looking at third-party documents and independent research. Turning to this last point, a third-party research report was recently released concerning the social impact of Agri Evolve on the local coffee farmers of Uganda, and it goes a long way to suggest that Agri Evolve is indeed the real deal.

Who are Agri Evolve? According to their website, “Agri Evolve Ltd is a profit for purpose business working with farmers in Uganda to achieve higher yields, better quality, and effective marketing so that farmers improve their productivity, increase income and profitability for themselves, their families, and their communities”.  They hold B Corporation Certification status and have been established for over a decade working with over 20 000 small-holder farmers.

Who conducted the research on Agri Evolve’s social impact? 60 Decibels, a global impact measurement company, who provide data-led reports measuring the social impact of companies like Agri Evolve. 60 Decibels released this report earlier this year: Agri Evolve – Impact Performance Report

How was the research conducted? The report was researched through qualitive methodology, utilizing 300 phone interviews with standardized questions and an additional 150 surveys on a pool of 300 of Agri Evolve’s general farmers and 121 supported farmers (farmers supported by impact investment partners of Agri Evolve: SSNUP & Oiko Credit). Here is a summary of the key findings of the report.

Some Key Findings of Report:

– 63% of farmers have improved their farming practices thanks to Agri Evolve’s training and support.

– 95% report increased coffee production, often from the same land, a testament to smarter, more sustainable farming.

– 56% say their quality of life has improved, with many now able to pay school fees, save more, and provide for their families.

– 84% of farmers experience no challenges with Agri Evolve’s services, and their Net Promoter Score (a measure of satisfaction and loyalty) is an impressive 44, placing them among the top performers in East Africa’s agricultural sector.

– 96% of farmers find the price offered by Agri Evolve to be ‘very good’ or ‘good’

– 53% of farmers say that their ability to access funds in case of an emergency has ‘very much improved’ because of Agri Evolve.

What does this mean you, the coffee drinker?

It means that you can have greater confidence that your expenditure is doing some good in the country of origin, in this case Uganda. Most of us will never get to see the land, plantations and cultures from which our coffees originate, but third-party reports like this can provide us insight and improve our confidence in the supplier from which our roasted coffee is sourced. Fortunately, the coffees produced by Agri Evolv are delicious. We have previously stocked their Buzira, a washed coffee, and their Karambi, a natural, and from November 2025 we will also be stocking their  Ibanda – a personal favourite. Please read more on Agri Evolve’s website and their partners websites (all linked above), where you will find much more information on the social impacts business initiatives can have in developing countries.

Thanks for reading.