Greetings from Tanzania! I've been on the ground just about five days now and have learned a lot so far!
I've spent the majority of the last week near Oldeani, Tanzania. This is a small village nestled in the hills near the Ngoragora Crater. My first stop was to visit the Acacia Hills Coffee Estate. A friend of mine back in the states owns this farm along with a local Tanzanian gentleman. The drive up to 1700 meters was gorgeous as the hills are filled with acacia trees.
I've also visited several other farms around Oldeani where I've been able to learn the difference in coffee production here in Africa as opposed to the rest of the world. There are struggles that producers face here that coffee growers in Central America would never have to think about. For example, wildlife is one of the top problems in Tanzania. Coffee producers can replant entire areas of coffee and if they are not careful, elephants will come through and destroy them. Water buffalo and hyenas are also trouble for coffee farms.
The other glaring issue is one that I was aware of, but could never grasp the full scope of it...water. Not only do producers struggle to get the water that they need to keep the coffee trees healthy and to process the coffee, but people in native villages walk up to eight hours per day just to get water for their own use. It has been eye opening to see these issues first hand.
I've also had the great fortune to see some amazing wildlife during my stay here. So far I've seen elephants, zebras, water buffalo, wildabeasts, lions, baboons, wharthogs, gazelles, and giraffes. I can't express how incredible it is to see these creatures up close.
Tomorrow I continue on to see some farms near the Serengeti National Forest before heading back to Oldeani. Later this week, I will head to Ethiopia for more learning and fun.
Sip slowly,
Steve
Acacia Tree
Welcoming Committee