Its major activities include:-

Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority

Strengthen participatory extension service de-
It is an apex organization under the livery to ensure transformation of farmers and
Ministry of Agriculture and natural re- commercial growers of coffee, tea and spices
source with the responsibility of max- by adopting research generated and proven
imizing production, establish quality technologies and improved agricultural prac-
based marketing system and promot- tices to attain higher level of production and
ing Ethiopian coffee, tea and spice productivity.
products worldwide. The authority has
been an important link in bridging the Establish quality-based, effective and efficient
gap between the importer and Ethio- marketing system that benefits smallholder,
pian coffee, tea and spices producer, commercial growers of coffee, tea and spic-
exporter in the international trade sce- es in the world to generate better income to
nario. the country and the industry actors; Support,
supervise and regulate the construction and
The Authority regulates the sector and commissioning of coffee, tea and spices pro-
manages the coffee, tea and spice cessing industries and the construction of
production and the value chain as a warehouses owned by farmers and private
whole. It plays a coordinating and sup- companies to ensure efficient marketing.
porting role of producers, market ac-
tors and stockholders in the industry.

01
 It is a country with a total area of 1.14 Macroeconomic indicators, in 2016, the
Country Profile million square kilometers, of which share of agri culture, industry and service
66% is suitable for agriculture and with sectors at the total GDP /Gross Domestic
3.7 million hectare being suitable for Product/ is 37.23%, 21.31% and 41.46%
irrigated agriculture. respectively. In recent years, Ethiopia has
been one of the fastest growing economies
Ethiopia, with a population of about in Africa.
100 million, is the second-most pop-
ulous country in sub-Saharan Africa, Agriculture is the largest sector in the Ethio-
with about 83.3% living in rural areas pian economy, accounting about 37.23% of
of the country; with population growth GDP and employing 83% of the labor force.
rate of 2.7% per annum. More than 80% of export earns from agri-
culture. The major agricultural export crop
Ethiopia has diversified climate (cov- is coffee, providing approximately 30 % of
ering 18 major agro-ecological zones Ethiopia’s foreign exchange earnings. Oth-
Ethiopia is a country located in the and 62 sub zones) suitable for growing er traditional major agricultural exports are
Horn of Africa. The Official name of over 146 types of crops. It has a tem- Spice, leather, hides and skins, pulses and
the country is Federal Democratic perate climate in the highlands, hot cli- oilseeds. Sugar and gold production has
Republic of Ethiopia /FDRE/. It is a mate in the lowlands, with temperature also become important in recent years.
federal republic consisting of 9 states ranging from 10-30 oc, and rain fall
and 2 city administrations. ranging from 200-2000mm per year.

02
 ‘Kaldi’ noticed how frisky his goats became after con-
suming coffee berries.

He then decided to try some himself. He passed his

discovery on to a monk, who transplanted the berries
near his monastery perfected his roasting, grinding
and brewing process and found that coffee helped to
keep monks awake and alert during their devotions.

Since then coffee drinking entered in Ethiopian social

life. Coffee was used in meetings, celebrations, and
mourning’s and to ward off drowsiness. Today the cof-
fee ceremony -where coffee is roasted, grounded and
brewed -is a centre to Ethiopian social life.
The word “coffee” is related to Ethiopia where coffee was discov-
ered. More genetically diverse strains of Coffee Arabica exist in Ethi-
opia than anywhere else in the world, which has lead botanists and
scientists to agree that Ethiopia is the centre of, diversification and
dissemination of the coffee plant.

Coffee Arabica grew wild in the forests of south western Ethiopia.

Its special qualities only became known to man about 1000 years
ago. An Ethiopian legend says that an Abyssinian goat herder called

03
 The coffee ceremony where coffee is roast- then brews the coffee with water in apot until
Coffee Ceremony ed, ground and brewed is central to Ethio- it starts to bubble. When the coffee is ready, it
pian lifestyle. It is indiscriminately playing a is served to the guests in tiny ceramic made
pivotal role in the Ethiopian culture of hos- cups with or without sugar. As a matter of pop-
pitality as it is widely used in get-togethers ular tradition, coffee is boiled three times and in
for celebration or mourning and to ward of the process a person has to drink a minimum of
drowsiness. three cups, at least one in each phase.

In all parts of the country, inviting coffee The third part of the session in particular is con-
for guests is considered as a God-sent op- sidered to bestow a blessing and prayer, usually
portunity to do well. The traditional coffee led by an elderly. The traditional prayer at the
ceremony in Ethiopia is normally groomed end of a coffee ceremony usually goes as Let
by decors. The ground around the brazier your family live and your house stay in peace;
where the beans are roasted and brewed let your children grow well; and let God give you
is strewn with fresh grass and flowers, and the grace he has accorded to coffee.
Coffee is the most widely con-
the air is perfumed with incense. The host
sumed stimulant beverage in
usually sits on a wooden stool before a tiny The coffee ceremony is as well a moment
Ethiopia. About 50% of the total
charcoal stove. Nearby is an incense burner whereby more value is given to human relations
produce is consumed locally. In
smoking. and discourses. During the session, different
Ethiopia Coffee is not produced
issues are raised and social problems solved.
only for export purposes, but also
The host washes the coffee beans, roasts Women usually perform petty activities like bas-
as highly prized and much favored
them in a pan while turning them regularly, ket making, spinning, and the like.
traditional beverage.
and grinds them with a pestle and mortar,
04
Coffee Production & Diversity
Ethiopian coffee is known as highland coffee because it is grown in
the highland areas of the country, with a normal growth rate to full
maturity and been sized. The diversified type of coffee Arabica in
the country and its highly suitable environment have helped make
Ethiopia attractive on the world markets, including for its gourmet,
specialty and organic coffee. Ethiopian coffee is rich in acidity and
body and is aromatic and sweet-flavored, with a winey, spicy, flora
or mocha taste. Because of it aromas and flavors, Ethiopian coffee
is also used for blending with and upgrading coffees produced in
other countries.

Ethiopian coffee is thus among the best in the world and offers a
wider choice to the worlds coffee roasters, who may select coffee
of rich acidity and body, or coffee of low acidity with good body,
or balanced and flavorful coffee. These different flavorful profiles
represent the unique potential of Ethiopian coffee production, which
has not yet been fully exploited.

Apart from its aroma and flavor, Ethiopian coffee is produced with-
out the use of artificial fertilizer and chemical.

05
 Ethiopian Coffee Production System
In this production, the sourcing of the coffee is from five types of coffee growth. Forest Coffee; Semi-forest Coffee; Garden
Coffee, and Plantation Coffee. Each method has its own unique characteristics and produces a distinct type of coffee in
flavor and aroma:-

• Forest Coffee: is coffee found in the wild, growing

under thick, full covered natural forest trees. It is often where
the diversity in breed is found due to disease resistance. It
has a top quality aroma and flavor. It accounts for 10% of
Ethiopia’s total coffee production.

• Semi-forest Coffee: is coffee from a producer se-

cured forest land that has been selected for adequate sunlight
and shade for the coffee trees. Producers prepare the trees
by removing weeds periodically and therefore yield higher
production due to increased sun. It accounts for 35% of Ethi-
opia’s coffee production.

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• Garden Coffee: is coffee produced in small
farm holdings, often at low densities, ranging from
1,000 to 1,800 trees per hectare. It is mostly fertil-
ized with organic waste and is intercropped with other
crops. It accounts for 50% of the total production.

• Plantation Coffee: Plantation Coffee is cof-

fee grown on commercial plantations mostly owned
by state entities and some private. It’s a planned and
commercialized coffee farming, accounts for 5% of the
total coffee production in Ethiopia.

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 Coffee Processing
Ethiopia is home to large quantities of coffee in both of the world’s two major production styles: Sun dried natural,
and fully washed.

Sun Dried Natural

cherries are taken to a hulling station for the removal of the
outer cherry.

Generally, as the result of prolonged and sun fueled con-

tact with the cherry’s own natural sugars, sun dried natural
coffees have a sweet, fruity character with a creamy mouth
feel. The best, most carefully cared for sun dried natural cof-
fees can have intense berry flavors, Tropical fruit aromatics,
and chocolaty undertones.

In the dry or “natural” process, coffee cherries are dried

Natural process green coffee beans often have a yellowish
whole. Producers lay the coffee cherries, skin and all, out to
or orange like tinge to them. This is a natural result of pro-
dry on the beds.
longed contact with the sugars as they “cook “into the bean
in the sunlight.
Over time, the skin and sticky juices of the cherries dries out
in the sun. This process can take several days up to a few
weeks, depending on the temperature and the intensity of
the sun. Once the process is completed, sacks of dried

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 Wet Processing
Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is re-
leased from the fermentation tank and Pushed
manually, with the help of some flowing water,
down long channels. This process of Agitation
frees up any remaining mucilage and separates
it from the parchment coffee. At The end of the
channels, the coffee enters another tank where it
is rinsed with fresh water. The result is wet coffee
in parchment, free of the sticky mucilage.

Washed coffee tends to have a clarity of flavor

and aroma that is often lacking in natural coffees.
Many cuppers assert it is easier to taste the in-
In the washed or “fully washed” style of processing, the outer skin of the
fluence of soil and varietal in washed coffees.
coffee cherry is removed immediately after harvesting, usually on the
Acidity comes through more clearly, and the cup
same day the cherries were picked.
is generally cleaner. The cleanest, highest quali-
ty, high altitude washed coffees can have an in-
The “washed” designation refers to what happens to the coffee next. The
tensely refreshing character.
mucilage coated beans are then fermented with water in large tanks, usu-
ally cement. The process of Fermentation breaks down the sugars in the
mucilage and frees it from the parchment.

09
 Wolega (Nekemet) Coffee: this is produced in Western Ethi-
Specialty Coffees opia, and the medium–to-bold bean is mainly known for its fruity
taste. It has a greenish, brownish color, with good acidity and body.
There are many roasters who put this flavor in their blends, but it can
also be sold as an original gourmet or special origin flavor.

Limu Coffee: this is known for its spicy and Winnie flavor and
attracts many roasters, especially in Europe and USA. It has good
acidity and body and the washed Limu is one of the premium cof-
fees. It has a medium sized bean, and is greenish-bluish in color and
mostly round in shape.

Sidamo Coffee: it has a medium sized bean, greenish-grayish in

color. Sidamo washed coffee, known for its balanced taste and good
flavor is called sweet coffee. It has fine acidity and good body and is
Ethiopian, unique tastes of high quality origin which are produced in the southern part of the country. It is always blended for
qualified as inherently superior coffees and their prop- gourmet or specialty coffee.
erty are:-
Yirgacheffe Coffee: it has an intense flavor known as flora.
Harar Coffee: this is produced in the Eastern high The washed Yirgacheffe is one of the best highland grown coffees.
lands. The bean is medium in size, with a greenish-yel- It has fine acidity and rich body. Many roasters are attracted to its
lowish color. It has medium acidity and full body and a delicate fine flavor and are willing to pay a premium for it.
distinctive mocha flavor. It is one of the highest premium
There are also other origins, such as Jimma, Tepi, Bebeka, Gujj,
coffees in the world.
Yeki, Godere, Anderacha, Kaffa which has unique flavor and aroma.
10
Coffee Value Chain Reforms
Ethiopia is not only known for
the top quality and diversity of
origin of coffee, but it is also
more potential to produce and
export different verities of cof-
fee.

With the understanding of this,

the government has made a
structural change on the coffee
sector to utilize this potential
and bring a benefit to coffee reforms on the coffee sector. It also gives coffee exporters the opportunity to sell iden-
growers and the market actors. These reforms are designed tity-preserved (IP) coffee to foreign buyers.
The Ethiopian coffee & tea Au- to give farmers greater access
thority has emerged with these to credit and a more fulsome These reforms appear to clearly put Ethiopia to export
governmental mandates, to extension package and also high amount of quality coffee in a better price to reap
bring a paradigm shift on coffee greater benefits from future coffee export sales.
restructure the country’s coffee
production and export. marketing system to expand
Assessing the results of the new reforms, In comparison
exports by allowing growers
with the same period last year, it has shown significant in-
After the establishment, the and traders to sell directly to
crement in terms of export volume and foreign exchange
Authority has taking different foreign buyers.
earning respectively.
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