JNP Coffee is committed to transforming the lives of people in Burundi through economic empowerment. For Burundi’s smallholder coffee farmers, empowerment comes through their ability to generate a living income.

What are the best ways to do this? And how much do coffee farmers actually earn for their labors to grow high-scoring specialty coffee? Initial answers to these questions will come from the first comprehensive assessment of Burundi’s smallholder coffee farmers’ cost of production and their income. Starting in September, JNP Coffee and its partner, the Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA), are putting data collection in the hands of the farmers themselves.

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Using a phone application and a power source to charge the phone, this first group of 400 randomly selected farmers from JNP Coffee’s suppliers tracks their time, daily expenses and earnings as part of a 10-month field survey. This real-time data collection throughout the coffee production cycle offers a novel alternative to a long-used process that involved outside surveyors whose findings would take up to a year to publish.  It also provides a new tool for farmers to learn first-hand how changes in their cultivation methods could affect their income.

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A form of “data democracy,” the new application helps farmers see how their reports can generate positive results for their future livelihood and ensures ongoing sustainable development of Burundi’s coffee industry. In a country where more than 3 out of 4 people live below the poverty line, this small step can create a transformational impact.