User:Earthlover36/Coffee production in Ethiopia

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History

The coffee plant originates in Ethiopia, though others, most notably Yemen, have also laid claim. According to legend, the 9th-century goatherder Kaldi in the region of Kaffa discovered the coffee plant after noticing the energizing effect the plant had on his flock, but the story did not appear in writing until 1671. After originating in Ethiopia, coffee was consumed as a beverage in Yemen, possibly around the 6th century. From Yemen, coffee spread into Istanbul, Cairo, and Damascus. The first coffeehouses in Europe opened in Venice in 1645. The first coffeehouse in the United States began in Boston in 1689. Demand for coffee increased drastically in the 1960s, leading to opening of the first Starbucks store in Seattle in 1971.

Politics and the ECX

From 1974 to 1991, Ethiopia was ruled by a Marxist dictatorship. Coffee farms were consolidated into large, collective farms, and required to sell to the government at a subsidized price. After 1991, the government allowed farms to form cooperatives and set fair prices. In 2008, The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) launched to ensure the development of the efficient trade of crops, which quickly expanded to include coffee. Through the ECX, coffee is repackaged and categorized, then sold to the highest bidder. The ECX has made coffee more taste-consistent and raised prices for growers. It has also eliminated the buyer's knowledge of the original regional source of a coffee. Tracing coffee is now difficult, and roaster's cannot provide fully accurate information regarding Ethiopian coffee purchased from the ECX. The ECX currently accounts for 90% of all of Ethiopia's coffee, but purchasing through cooperatives is being increasingly more common.

Production Systems

There are three primary productions systems in Ethiopia: Forest Coffee, Garden Coffee, and Plantation Coffee.

Forest Coffee

The forest coffee system relies on wild stands of coffee that require little maintenance. The local communities harvest from the naturally growing coffee plants. The communities will sometimes manage the system with access clearing during the harvesting season. Semi-forest coffee production depends on more intensive farming interventions, including thinning trees, planting seedlings, and weed cutting. Together, these production systems account for 45% of all national coffee production.

Garden Coffee

The garden coffee system pertains to the production of coffee in smallholder pots. The seedlings are taken from forest coffee productions systems and relocated closer to farmers' dwellings. It is planted at low densities and often supported with organic materials. It accounts for 50% of Ethiopia's coffee production.

Plantation Coffee

The plantation coffee system comprises coffee production on large estates typically owned by the state. These coffee plants undergo intensive maintenance and agricultural practices. It accounts for a small percentage of production.

Production and Climate Change

Previously, Ethiopia's altitude, temperature, and soil served as opportunities for coffee production. Now, Ethiopia faces constraints pertaining to climate change. The mean annual temperature of Ethiopia has increased rapidly; it is is projected to increase by 1.1-3.1 degrees Celsius by 2060. Temperature increases are directly correlated with invasive pests and disease development, both of which can cause production lost when disregarded. Also increasing is the uncertainty of yearly weather patterns. The growing length of the dry season decreases the amount of rainfall in Ethiopian forests where coffee is grown. In addition, dramatic forest loss in Ethiopia threatens coffee cultivation by eliminating factors needed, such as forest cover needed to reduce air and soil temperatures. These climate-related abiotic factors have the potential to decrease coffee yield by 70%. To build resilience, relocation of coffee farms into more suitable areas, likely at higher elevation, may be required to sustain Ethiopian coffee production and the Ethiopian economy. Further, farming adaptations could ensure resilience and improve productivity. These adaptions include irrigation to maintain soil water, tree shade management to protect forest cover, mulching to better soil fertility, terracing to improve soil quality and reduce water run-off, and pruning to maximize crop potential.