Corus International signs MOUs with Tanzanian Government to advance coffee and cocoa sectors
Dodoma, Tanzania, 25 April 2025 – Corus International announced today it has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) and the Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA) to boost the country’s coffee and cocoa production. The ambitious plan will mobilize $30 million USD (81 billion TZS) to increase Tanzania’s annual coffee production from 80,000 metric tons to 300,000 metric tons, and cocoa production from 14,490 metric tons to 80,000 metric tons by the year 2030. As coffee and cocoa production increases in Tanzania, so too will farmers’ income, industry players, regional and national revenue.
This groundbreaking initiative is part of a broader collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Corus International, spearheaded by Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Hussein Mohamed Bashe, to design and implement national coffee and cocoa strategies.
The collaborators will leverage their expertise to tackle key challenges in securing market access, starting with supporting the government’s compliance efforts with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This includes analyzing production processes and marketing channels for these two high-value crops. A critical step in this initiative is ensuring traceability from farm to port by registering farmers, mapping their plots and assessing deforestation risks and environmental sustainability.
“We view regulations like the EUDR as a catalyst – not a constraint,” said COPRA’s Director General Ms. Irene M. Mlola. “They push us to organize at scale, produce smarter, and claim our place in premium markets. This partnership isn’t just about compliance – it’s our gateway to repositioning Tanzania cocoa in high-value markets and our chance to elevate farmers onto the global stage.”
TCB’s Director General Mr. Primus O. Kimaryo seconded EUDR’s importance for Tanzania, “We regard the EUDR not as a limitation, but as a powerful driver of innovation and progress. These evolving standards inspire us to continue ongoing efforts to modernize our systems, strengthen traceability, and champion sustainable coffee production at scale. With the European Union accounting for over 40% of Tanzanian coffee exports, this collaboration with Corus International represents more than just regulatory alignment. It is a strategic milestone that paves the way for Tanzanian coffee to thrive in premium global markets. Most importantly, it empowers us to continue elevating Tanzania’s coffee brand as a symbol of quality, sustainability, and shared prosperity that delivers real impact to our farmers and creates lasting value throughout the coffee value chain.”
Together, Corus International, COPRA and TCB will boost Tanzanian coffee and cocoa productivity and align both with international market standards, positioning them as premium, competitive products in the worldwide market. Additionally, this initiative seeks to create opportunities for value addition while driving employment growth, particularly for women and young adults.
Highlighting the importance of this collaboration, Mahmoud Bah, Chief Operating Officer of Corus International, remarked, “This partnership with the Government of Tanzania in general and the Ministry of Agriculture in particular is a significant milestone in advancing Tanzania’s coffee and cocoa sectors. We are proud to work with COPRA and TCB to drive sustainable growth and elevate these crops to global prominence.”
Corus International brings nearly four decades of expertise in improving coffee and cocoa production at national levels worldwide, and is known for building partnerships that empower farmers, enhance sustainability and deliver long-term economic growth in underserved regions.
About Corus International
Corus International is a faith-based organization that unites an array of nonprofits and businesses, each with specialized expertise in economic development, impact investing, health, humanitarian assistance, and technology for development. Alongside communities, local partners, and the private sector, our expert teams integrate disciplines, approaches and resources to build opportunities for families and economies to thrive across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Our traditional and non-traditional approaches bring together the localized, holistic solutions needed to develop self-reliance and truly achieve lasting change.
About COPRA
The Cereal and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA) was established under Section 3 of the Food Security Act -1991 [CAP 249 R.E 2002] – Consequential Amendments of the Food Security Act (Act No. 19 of 2009) as a semi-autonomous body of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania under the Ministry responsible for Agriculture. COPRA is responsible for regulation of the production, processing and marketing of cereals and other produce, such as cocoa, in Tanzania.
About TCB
The Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) is a statutory body established under the Coffee Industry Act Cap 347 Laws of Tanzania (as amended) with the primary mandate to regulate, develop, and promote Tanzania’s coffee industry. Operating under the Ministry of Agriculture, TCB provides strategic advice to the Government on matters related to the coffee value chain from farm to international markets.
