Rwanda Coffee Development Authority

Our coffee board passed through the following historical events;

• First coffee board  known as  Office des Cultures Industrielles du Rwanda-Urundi “ OCIRU” was  established on 10/09/1945 with an aim  to promote development of both internal  and external markets for Arabica coffee in Rwanda and Burundi, notably to help these Belgium parental colonized  countries improve production, processing and conditioning.
• After independence of Rwanda and Burundi in 1962, legal provisions extending activities of OCIRU both in the area of coffee and any other industrial agricultural product subjected to quality standards such as quinquina, pyrethrum and tea were taken.
• On 10 January 1964, the OCIRU gave birth to two Offices fully autonomous:

OCIR (Office des Cultures Industrielles du Rwanda) in Rwanda.
OCIBU (Office des Cultures Industrielles du Burundi) in Burundi.
An abstract from the Official Gazette dated 30 July 1964, which established OCIR, the mandate of the company was as follows:

• To control quality, storage and handling of industrial crops
• To promote development of internal and external markets for these products
• To take initiatives aimed at organising and improving:

1. production, processing and conditioning
2. establishment and respect for the standards of quality and conditioning
3. handling, stocking and shipment conditions
4. marketing of these products
5. funding cooperative agricultural campaigns

• To assist and represent Government in negotiation of international agreements relating to production and marketing of industrial crops.
• To manage all funds and grants specifically constituted to promoting industrial crops.
• To control any enterprise dealing with processing and trade of these products.
• In 1964 and 1978, OCIR had two departments namely:  Coffee Department and Tea Department.

A reviewed Decree Law n° 27/78 of 5/09/1978 establishing the Rwanda Coffee Authority was  modified and complemented to date;
In 1978, the two Departments of OCIR were autonomous and then OCIR CAFE and OCIR THE were established. This is how the OFFICE des CAFES has repeated in its new mandate essentially the objectives assigned to the Office des Cultures Industrielles du Rwanda, as regards coffee.
Until July 2001, the Offices des Cafés to be more organized continued restructuring.
According to the Official Gazette dated 1 July 2001, the new mandate of Office des Cafés was as follows:

1. Participate in the elaboration of the policy and strategies  governing the coffee sector and to ensure  the implementation of that policy as regards production, processing, marketing, research and training;
2. Set up coffee quality standards and classification systems, control coffee quality and issue quality and origin certificates;
3. Collect and disseminate pertinent information relating to the coffee industry;
4. Co-ordinate and promote harmony among various economic operators within the coffee industry;
5. Collaborate with concerned departments in the area of research and extension;
6. Support coffee farmers’ associations which carry out activities related to production, pulping, washing, collecting and selling coffee;
7. Train all the contributors in the coffee industry;
8. Participate in international negotiations on coffee sector and follow up the implementation of decisions.

• The Chamber of Deputies, in its session of August 1, 2006;

The Senate, in its session of July 13, 2006; Given the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda of June 4, 2003, as amended to date, especially in its articles 62, 66, 67,88, 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 108, 118, 183 and 201;

Given the Organic Law n° 14/2004 of 26/05/2004 establishing general provisions governing public institutions as modified to date especially in its article 17;
This law determines the attributions, organisation and the functioning of a national authority in charge of development of coffee known as “Office de cultures industrielles du Rwanda chargé du café” abbreviated as “OCIR CAFÉ”, in French.

OCIR CAFE has a legal personality, administrative and financial autonomy and
it shall be governed in accordance with laws governing organs of Public Service;
LAW N° 48/2006 OF 05/10/2006 DETERMINING THE RESPONSIBILITIES, ORGANISATION AND FUNCTIONING OF RWANDA COFFEE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (OCIR CAFE) was adopted.