Coffea Stenophylla: A Future for Coffee

What didn’t work (and what we learned)
Not everything we set out to do on this trip worked.
The biggest gap was water. Despite preparation, we weren’t able to get the emergency dry-season watering system running. The pumps available locally didn’t match the head and distance we needed, and importing the right equipment on short notice wasn’t possible. As a result, no emergency watering could be implemented during this visit.
I left the farm with mixed feelings. Right now, no watering is happening. Many of the young saplings are under clear stress, and quite a few have already withered and died. That’s hard to see, but it’s also the reality of a pilot project operating under real field conditions.
This experience underlined how much infrastructure constraints and last-mile logistics matter, not just planning.
Rather than forcing a single long lift, we’re now planning a revised layout. This includes a third water tank at a lower elevation to act as a relay between the river and the two upper tanks, along with planning the concrete pad placement. The aim is to make the system realistic to build and run with locally available equipment.
While this won’t undo the losses already incurred, I’m hopeful we can turn things around in the coming weeks by getting this revised setup in place and replacing plants that didn’t survive.
We also underestimated how much time was absorbed by sourcing, transport, and testing equipment, which limited some of the observation and documentation we had planned.
Alongside these challenges, we strengthened the project’s foundations. Magnus has been signed on for another year as farm manager. Hannah and I have also signed an official 50/50 Partnership Agreement, and the land has now been transferred into the project itself. These steps don’t reduce the biological risks of Phase 1, but they do provide stability and clarity moving forward.
Phase 1 remains focused on establishment, survival, and learning. Some losses are possible, and that risk is part of why this is a pilot. We’re staying grounded, learning as we go, and documenting setbacks as honestly as progress.

I will be travelling to Sierra Leone for a short field visit to Stenophylla Farm Kenema. The visit will focus on checking in with Magnus and Hannah, assessing the current condition of the farm, and—most importantly—reviewing the progress of our Coffea stenophylla plants through the early dry season.

Since my last visit in September, the young stenophylla trees have been fertilised with cow manure and oyster shell (to support slow-release nutrient availability and soil health) and mulched with dry rice husk to reduce evaporation, protect the soil surface, and retain moisture in preparation for the dry season.

Dry-Season Focus: Emergency Watering System
A central objective of this visit is to review and advance this year’s emergency dry-season watering system, which is designed to help young plants safely bridge the most critical months.

For the current season, we are working with a temporary, mobile solution that prioritises flexibility, speed, and cost efficiency:
Water is pumped from a nearby stream using a petrol-powered water pump.
The water is transferred into a 5,000-litre storage tank located at the lower part of the farm.
From there, water is pumped uphill into a second 5,000-litre tank positioned higher on the farm.
A motorised high-pressure sprayer is then used to water each row, delivering water directly to the base of each individual plant, where it is most effective and least wasteful.

This approach is intended specifically for the current dry season. We are confident that, with the solutions now identified and partners engaged, the core elements of this system can be put in place in time to support the trees during their most vulnerable phase.
Long-Term Water Strategy: Pond & Gravity-Fed Drip Irrigation

While the emergency system addresses immediate needs, our long-term vision is to establish a water-harvesting pond on the ridge above the farm, combined with a gravity-fed drip irrigation system.

This strategy offers significant advantages:
reliable water availability during extended dry periods
no dependence on fuel once operational
low running and maintenance costs
slow, targeted water delivery directly to plant roots
improved soil moisture balance and reduced erosion
a scalable, climate-resilient solution aligned with best practices
This long-term system will shift water management from seasonal response to structural resilience.

Community Engagement: Supporting the Formation of a CBO
Another important goal of this visit is to support the community of Komende Village in the formation of a Community-Based Organisation (CBO).
For the village, a CBO provides a recognised structure that enables:
collective decision-making and local leadership
access to training, partnerships, and future development opportunities
stronger accountability and transparency
greater ownership of projects that affect the community

By supporting the creation of a CBO, we aim to ensure that progress on the farm goes hand in hand with local capacity building and long-term community benefit.

This visit is about strengthening what already exists, addressing short-term challenges with practical solutions, and laying the groundwork for a resilient, community-anchored future for Stenophylla Farm.

Thank you for being Interested in our little Pilot Project of the Stenophylla Farm.

I’ll keep you guys posted.

Farm Update – December 2025

The team in Kenema has been busy!
Here’s what’s been happening on the Stenophylla Farm over the past weeks:

Geo-tagging complete: All 3,000 Coffea Stenophylla saplings are now mapped with GPS coordinates. This gives us full transparency and long-term traceability for every plant on the farm.

Dry-season preparations: Magnus and his field team have begun preparing the young plants for the upcoming dry months with:

Careful weeding

Cow manure application

Light oyster shell amendment

Rice husk mulching to retain moisture and protect the soil


Banana & Avocado intercrops: The first fertilizer and mulching rounds for our banana (500) and avocado (100) companion plants are now scheduled, strengthening the agroforestry structure around the Stenophylla plots.

Farm systems improving: Field routines, material tracking, and application distances are now standardized — ensuring consistent plant health as the dry season approaches.


More updates coming soon as we move into the next phase of the project!

After a long journey from Switzerland to Sierra Leone, we finally arrived in Kenema — the heart of our Coffea stenophylla project.

The first day on the farm felt truly special. Together with Hannah, Magnus, Samai, and Hazaratu, we began the process of geo-tagging the young Stenophylla plants — one by one. Using the KoboCollect app, every tree now has its own digital record: GPS position, height, health, soil condition, and shade coverage.

We were warmly welcomed by the village chief and community, whose support means everything. They’ll be the hands and hearts behind maintaining and caring for the 3,000 trees in the years to come.

We also explored the area to plan for future water tanks and a small bridge over the stream that separates the farm from the road — essential for the rainy season.

The whole journey is being filmed by Abass for our upcoming “Stenophylla Farm Journey” video — an honest look at what it means to grow a rare, climate-resilient coffee species in Sierra Leone.

Matthias | Hannah | Magnus | Samai | Hazaratu and the Kenema Team

Big news from Kenema: together with Hannah Tarawally and our farm manager Magnus, we’ve just launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the next steps for our Coffea stenophylla farm.

Coffea stenophylla is a rare, climate-resilient coffee species rediscovered in Sierra Leone. Research from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew shows it can handle hotter conditions than arabica, while still producing excellent flavor — think blackcurrant, floral, and sweet stone fruits.

This is why we believe it’s a real hope for the future of coffee.

What We Need Support For

Water Security: 3 tanks + fuel water pump to keep 3,000 young trees alive through the dry season

Magnus’ Salary: one year’s support for our dedicated farm manager

Bridge Access: a small bridge to reach the farm during the rains

Total Goal: USD 5,000

Every contribution goes directly into the farm and community. If we raise more than the target, extra funds will go toward building a small nursery + tool shed for Magnus.

https://gofund.me/39d85e0e2

(Click the button or link above to visit our campaign page)

Wi tell una tenki plenty. Thank you for standing with us — for coffee, for Sierra Leone, and for a more resilient future.

Matthias, Hannah, Magnus & the farm team

How Far We Have Come

From just an idea to seedlings in the ground, the Stenophylla Coffee Project in Kenema has already taken its first big steps.

Together with local farmers, women, and youth, we are building something that connects Sierra Leone’s rich coffee history with a climate-resilient future.

This is only the beginning. Much more is ahead — from training, to harvests, to sharing the very first cups of Stenophylla coffee with the world.

Stay tuned. Wi nor don yet. Di best still de cam.