Factors Affecting the Performance of Locally Owned Coffee Washing Stations in Rwanda: Evidence from Rusizi District

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the factors affecting the performance of locally owned coffee washing stations in Rwanda taking a case study of Rusizi District because the Rwanda's coffee production has remained highly cyclical and average levels have not risen since 2002 and this trend continues to be experienced. Locally owned Coffee washing stations in Rwanda have been seen to operate below their production capacity with a significant number failing to pay back their operating capital. Therefore, there is need to closely examine the factors that affect the performance of locally owned coffee washing stations in Rusizi District so as to plan and improve performance thus this study. The researcher used descriptive method of study based on qualitative and quantitative approach in order to get analysis of the study. Researcher used both primary and secondary data collection tools with their relevant tools like questionnaire and documentary analysis in order to come up with required data.

In the findings the researcher established that various factors affecting performance of performance of locally owned washing stations and this include; population growth and land shortage, diversionary farming enterprises (Some farmers have abandoned coffee growing for other agriculture enterprises), coffee prices fluctuation and Infrastructural factors like electricity, water, bad road and others. Inadequate and poorly skilled workers, CWS Management Process and Systems inform of law and procedures and other administrative issues, in adequate financial resources for expansion and lastly weather and climate factors. The above factors affect profitability, productivity, quality of coffee, efficiency, competiveness and growth and expansion of the washing stations. The table 4.12 gave the relationship between factors affecting performance of locally owned washing stations  and Performance of washing stations whereby the respondents  N is 96 and the significant level is 0.01, the results indicate that independent variable has positive high correlation to dependent variable equal to .975** and the p-value is .000 which is less than 0.01. When p-value is less than significant level, therefore researchers conclude that variables are correlated and null hypothesis is rejected and remains with alternative hypothesis. This means that there is a significant relationship between various factors and the performance of locally owned washing stations in Rwanda.