Fairtrade - Ethiopia
Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (SCFCU)
There are a whole host of coffee growing ‘terroirs’ in Ethopia: Limu, Harrar, Lekempti; amongst these, the area of Sidamo produces coffees of an exceptional quality.
The Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (SCFCU) has been established in the heart of this region with the aim of exporting a high quality coffee which has been produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.
There are a number of different cultivation methods in Ethiopia: wild and semi-wild coffee, large plantations and small coffee ‘gardens’. In the Sidamo area, coffee is widely grown on small plots of land and so forestry and farming work hand in hand, with a mixture of large trees – often banana trees – with lower growing coffee trees and annual plants. This harmonious method of farming is not only sustainable, but also environmentally friendly.
SCFCU is a union formed of member cooperatives consisting of 42 local cooperatives, of which 8 have been certified as Fair Trade. The union’s members cultivate about 70,000 hectares and in 2007 they exported 35,000 tonnes of high quality, organic Arabica including 11,000 tonnes under the Max Havelaar Fair Trade label.
The coffee harvest usually involves the entire family, with the ripe cherries being sent immediately to the primary treatment centre, where they are fermented and then dried. The dried parchment coffee is then sent to Addis Ababa to be prepared for export. In Ethiopia, the country’s entire coffee crop is generally sold through a centralised auction system. However, fair trade coffee produced by members of SCFCU is an exception to this and the SCFCU is permitted to export this coffee without recourse to the auction system, thus cutting out various intermediaries.
In Brief:
- Number of producers : 86,675
- Founded in 2001
- Average number of hectares under cultivation, by producer : 0.8 hectare
- Percentage of production that is Fair Trade : 32 %
- Harvest period : September to December
Sidamo Mocha coffee is a fairly full-bodied, with a marked acidity and a fruity aroma, with hints of apricot which is characteristic of coffees of this region.
Coffee plays a major role in society
Unlike most coffee producing countries, coffee is also consumed in the domestic market and plays a vital economic, social and cultural role in Ethiopia. The "coffee ceremony" with family and friends is a time of sharing that strengthens the bonds of community.
Coffee is Ethiopia’s main export commodity and accounts for approximately 60% of total export revenue. Approximately one in four people are employed in the coffee industry and for this reason it is of huge strategic importance.
SCFCU supports small producers
The organization is founded on deeply- rooted democratic principles. It has developed a range of services in order to support growers, improve the productivity of their plots and encourage diversification. The cooperative also offers its members credit or savings facilities, which were previously particularly difficult to obtain in certain areas.
Quality control, administrative management and market access have all been improved by training the cooperative’s members and this has helped to strengthen the organisation and enhance its reliability with its foreign customers.
Issues
A major challenge facing Ethiopia is food production and this is why the SCFCU established a mill and storage facilities for the cereal crops which are regularly consumed by the local population. It is vital that methods of food production are improved and organic farming methods encouraged, increasing productivity and reducing the dependence on agrochemicals.
Between 2000 and 2007, the overall percentage of children in full time education increased from 52% to 78%, but the rate for rural areas remains low. Moreover, the education sector in Ethiopia still has a number of obstacles to overcome, most notably the discrimination against the education of girls. Therefore, the cooperative took over the repair and expansion of three schools in its district. Although much has already been achieved, there is still a long way to go to improve access to education.
