The document discusses the challenges and interventions in the coffee value chain, emphasizing the need for improved quality and market access for farmers and traders. Key issues identified include poor coffee production due to outdated practices and diseases, while opportunities exist through better training, disease-free seedlings, and improved post-harvest techniques. The active involvement of cooperatives and private actors is recommended for enhancing skills, creating efficient market linkages, and facilitating access to quality inputs.

1. Coffee value chain development
interventions and lessons
Value chain interventions Initial diagnosis Knowledge management
• Farmers and traders recognized the international market and capacity building
Input supply interventions potential for quality and speciality coffee. Price premiums for
better quality and origin of coffee were not widespread
• Existing coffee production systems suffered from poor returns
due to diseases, old coffee trees and poor management
• Inadequate knowledge and skills on quality/speciality coffee
production systems among value chain actors
Hybrid coffee seedling Coffee nursery operators in • Role of women in coffee value chain was limited to assisting in
picking and coffee liquor/bean sale at small restaurants and Access to knowledge through training
production under seedling production
shops and community mobilization
controlled environment
• Availability of inputs, in particular seedlings of disease free
speciality (land races) coffee varieties, was limited
Input supply for • Role of producers in price determination for export market was
improved coffee drying limited
• Village level cooperatives were often inefficient
Graduate student assessing quality
• Negative effects on water quality were reported for washed of special sun dried coffee
coffee
Value chain actors, service
providers and linkages
Production interventions
Input supply/
services
Private shops
Research
Cooperatives
Nursery operators
Additional ICT supported information/
knowledge via Ethiopian Agriculture
Portal (www.eap.gov.et )
Knowledge/ Skill
Coffee National research
Credit
Microfinance institutions
producers
Ministry of Agriculture
Consultants
Specialized farmers
Targeting
Cooperative
Private industry NGOs
Students
Environmental and
Protection Agency
Promotion of speciality
coffee
Market
Cooperative
Local market
Private coffee exporters
Ethiopian Commodity
Exchange
Processing / marketing interventions Targeting women and farmers who
own coffee production plots
Lessons and challenges
• Knowledge sharing, in service training, practical follow up, and linkages among value chain actors and
Drying coffee on service providers contribute to improving the skills and knowledge of value chain actors and service
raised beds providers, including women
• Farmers can effectively operate coffee seedling nurseries. The operation is more sustainable when nursery
operators combine seedling production with seed production of desired varieties from mother trees
planted in their own fields
• Private farmers were able to successfully multiply hybrid coffee varieties using vegetative propagation
techniques
• Introduction of improved post harvest management techniques (raised bed drying and storage in clean
jute bags) can be adopted if farmers get better prices for better quality coffee. Such price differentiation can
be seen with the establishment of Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX)
• Facilitating private/cooperative shops to stock and sell post harvest materials can further support quality
development
Post harvest Facilitation auction for
management through farmers to sell their special • Engagement of other actors (Regional environmental protection bodies, coffee processing projects) is
better packing sun dried coffee required to tackle water pollution problems caused by washed coffee processing plants
materials
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