Coffee cultivation in Ethiopia

Coffee originated in Ethiopia and is a center part of the economy. Since the establishments of agriculture 2000 years ago in Ethiopia, Coffee arabica has been grown in the natural forest of the south western massive highlands of the Kaffa and Buno districts of the country.

Ethiopia depends on exports of coffee for around 40 percent of foreign earnings. Coffee is also crucial to the Ethiopian economy because it contributes 10% of the country’s gross domestic product.

With about 2.3 per cent of the global coffee market, it is Africa’s third largest exporter of coffee behind Ivory Coast and Uganda. Ethiopia is currently the seventh largest coffee producer worldwide.

It is sold as green coffee beans, with further processing like blending, roasting and grinding taking place elsewhere.

Coffee production systems in Ethiopia remain predominantly traditional, and diseases and insect pests greatly reduce the productivity and quality of the produce.

The estimated area devoted to coffee is about 400,000 ha with average annual production amounting to about 250,000 ton.

Coffee is produced in four main production systems: forest, semi-forest, cottage and plantation, which account for 10, 35, 50 and 5% respectively.
Coffee cultivation in Ethiopia