Our partnerships with farmers to increase coffee yields and enhance market access started in Northwest Cameroon’s scenic Oku Valley, named for the tribes that live in the region. There, our coffee is grown at altitudes of up to 7,000 feet in the shade of orange, banana, and kola nut trees beneath the peak of Kilum Mountain, also called Mount Oku. Nearby Lake Oku provides the area’s crops with water and nutrients. The coffee we grow here is fully washed in fresh water on the day of its harvest. Farmers then dry it on raised beds in the shade of the forest's trees.
This coffee crop provides a livelihood for many people living in Northwest Cameroon who are largely dependent on agriculture, especially coffee. With a population of over 130,000 people on remote and often difficult terrain, conscious practices of innovative, sustainable, and manageable agronomy are key. Northwest Cameroon’s lush, mountainous landscape is often challenging during the rainy season, but the plentiful resources it provides are well worth the struggle come harvest time.
Within the forests of Mount Oku, the world-renowned white honey thrives as bees undertake most coffee pollination. The landscape and biome of the Oku Valley work together, with and for its people, who have in turn come to understand this land’s ability to give back in tremendous ways.
Many farms under Mount Oku range from only a half acre to 4 acres, but practicing ecologically sound and nuanced foundational farming techniques makes them mighty. Even though many farming practices in the region seem rudimentary by industrial standards, the foundational elements of proper pruning, soil and shade management, and processing techniques elevate the region’s incredible capacity for vibrant coffee production. With over 400 tons of washed Arabica coffee produced each year alone, Northwest Cameroon’s beautifully rich landscape truly delivers.
Moka Origins is proud to work with farmers in Northwest Cameroon to help them respond to the dwindling volumes of coffee produced in the region. Our collaboration brings us closer to achieving our goal of creating economic stability through sustainable sourcing practices and shows the importance of developing strong agricultural economies throughout the world. One small region can truly affect the livelihood of many.
Our Cameroon Mt Oku coffee is unmatched. This medium roast presents subtle notes of lemon with a sweet caramel finish. This rare, shade-grown bean is our flagship coffee and for over a decade, Moka’s founders have worked with farmers in the shadow of Mt Oku, where coffee is the lifeblood of most local families.
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