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Greencert receives approval to verify coffee standards
Farmers work at a coffee field in Tanzania. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Greencert, a subsidiary of the Tanzania Horticultural Association’s (Taha) sustainability division, was granted the 12-month approval on July 14, 2025. Under the terms, it may conduct one C.A.F.E. verification at a time while SCS monitors performance.
Arusha. Tanzania’s Greencert Limited has received limited approval from SCS Global Services, becoming the first local body authorised to verify coffee under the Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices programme.
Greencert, a subsidiary of the Tanzania Horticultural Association’s (Taha) sustainability division, was granted the 12-month approval on July 14, 2025. Under the terms, it may conduct one C.A.F.E. verification at a time while SCS monitors performance.
This milestone is expected to reduce verification costs for local coffee producers, who have long relied on foreign certifiers to access premium export markets.
C.A.F.E. Practices is a sustainability standard developed by Starbucks in collaboration with SCS and Conservation International. It evaluates coffee producers against more than 200 economic, social and environmental indicators using a standardised scorecard.
Greencert General Manager Eric Mwesigwa said the approval empowers the organisation to certify Tanzanian coffee farms and exporters under internationally recognised standards.
“We are proud to support sustainable supply chains and give farmers an affordable way to meet global certification requirements,” he said.
As a third-party body accredited under ISO 17065 by Germany’s DAkkS, Greencert also offers quality assurance, inspection, and training services.
TAHA Group CEO Jacqueline Mkindi described the approval as a turning point for Tanzania’s coffee sector.
“This is a major milestone for our multi-million-dollar industry,” she said. “Certification enables farmers to meet international standards, reduce risks, and build stronger relationships with global buyers.”
Tanzania’s coffee exports have grown significantly, rising in value from $140 million to $240 million in the past three years.
This increase has been driven by a 55 percent rise in production—from 55,000 to 85,000 tonnes annually—alongside improved global prices.
Ms Mkindi said certification through schemes like C.A.F.E. is essential to unlocking high-value markets and long-term contracts.
“Farmers will benefit from better labour practices, environmental protection, and social safeguards—all key elements of the C.A.F.E. programme,” she said.
She added that in the long term, the recognition of a local certifier will boost Tanzania’s reputation as a reliable exporter of quality coffee, while strengthening farmers’ incomes and national economic resilience.
If Greencert meets SCS performance standards during the limited approval period, it may be upgraded to provisional—and later full—approval, allowing for multiple verifications simultaneously.
This development marks a significant step in aligning Tanzania’s coffee exports with global sustainability standards, while making certification more accessible to local producers.
