In the 1930s, German missionaries brought the first coffee plant to Rwanda. It originated in the town of Mibirizi, which later became known as the first Rwandan coffee, a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety. From there it spread across the Kivu region into the whole country. Rwanda consists mainly of a hilly plateau with altitudes of 1300 - 2200m. On this plateau, coffee is grown predominantly on small family-run farms (usually less than a hectare in size) located on steep slopes. Agriculture plays an important role for the population. 85% of the people live directly from agriculture and coffee and tea belong to the primary export goods.

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This small East African country looks back on a turbulent history. After Rwanda gained independence in 1961, the situation between the population groups became aggravated. In 1994, the ongoing conflicts ended in a tragic genocide. About one million people were killed and several millions more were forced to flee.