Coffee production in Ethiopia is a longstanding tradition which dates back dozens of centuries. The country is the world's seventh largest producer of coffee and Africa’s largest producer, with an estimated 15 million of the population relying on some form of coffee production for their livelihood. Interestingly though, half of the coffee is consumed by Ethiopians! But then again, as the coffee plant, ‘Coffea Arabica’, originates from Ethiopia it’s understandable that coffee has and continues to be integral to local cultures!
Coffee as an integral part of the community
Coffee ceremonies are a ritualized form of making and drinking coffee and are typically performed by the woman of the household , which is considered an honour. However, an Ethiopian coffee ceremony is not just about drinking coffee, but a ritual of daily life… they gather family, friends and neighbours, and strengthen relationships through sharing stories and laughing together.
Interested in how the ritual is performed? Read about it here.
Chekol Mebrate, 45, and his wife Zimam Fettene, 25, handling coffee cherries in Woyinima village, Jabi Tehnan WaterAid/ Genaye Eshetu
Preserving tradition
Water is essential to the manufacturing process of coffee and due to the instability of sources in the areas of Jabi Tehnan, traditional irrigation methods are unsustainable and cause people in the area to have to travel for several hours to retrieve only 40 litres of water for an entire household. Project Waterfall has set a goal to empower the local farmers to continue to produce coffee by replacing outdated water systems with more modern multi-village water pumps that can provide water for growing crops, as well as drinking and personal use.
Nebiyu Abate, approximately 58-60, has always drunk the coffee he grows in his backyard. And he likes it.. Addis Amba, Agomamit, Jabi Tehnan, West Gojjam
WaterAid/ Behailu Shiferaw
Zimam Fettene, 25, holding coffee beans picked from her farm in Woyinima village, Jabi Tehnan
WaterAid/ Genaye Eshetu
Chekol Mebrate, 45, and his wife Zimam Fettene, 25, both coffee farmers, and their family in Woyinima village, Jabi Tehnan. WaterAid/ Genaye Eshetu
Transforming the lives of coffee producers in Ethiopia blog series: Community
Title image: Bernesh Mekonnen, approximately 40, drying coffee cherries she picked on her farm in Mankusa, Jabi Tehnan. WaterAid/ Genaye Eshetu
Find out what has happened in Ethiopia during the first six months of our project in the next issue of our ‘Transforming the lives of coffee producers in Ethiopia’ series.
