Burundi Izuba Anaerobic Natural

This anaerobic natural lot comes to us from smallholder farmers organized around the Izuba Washing Station in the mountains of Kabarore, Burundi. Izuba, meaning 'sun' in Kirundi, is located close to the Kibira National Park, an area known for its rich soil and mild climate. The station sits next to a river and has access to an essential and reliable source of fresh water.

The station provides premiums where possible to not only the farmers but also to the station's staff. On average, Izuba employees are paid 25% higher than local stations and 33% more than the national average. Over 1/4 of the farms are women owned and operated. All of the station's coffee pulp is saved and turned into a nutrient rich natural fertilizer for the local farms.

Coffee processed at Izuba is primarily grown on the three hills that surround the station; Kigeri, Ryamukona, and Mugoyi. The farmers hand harvest their ripe coffee cherries and deliver them to the station. The cherries are floated and sorted for quality and ripeness.

For the anaerobic natural process, the selected cherries are placed in a hermetically sealed fermentation tank and covered with a sheet. Fresh water is added to the tank to create an anoxic vacuum, or "water pillow," which helps maintain a temperature-controlled environment. After the cherries are fermented for 48–72 hours, all residual water is drained, and the coffee is spread out to sun dry on raised beds for 25–30 days.