A study case on coffee (Coffea arabica): Limu Coffe - IRD

After opposition defeated the DERG regime, creating a new government lead by its
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the ex-administrative system was replaced by regions, zones
and woredas. Awarajas disappeared. Limu Kosa, Limu Seka and Goma/Gera awarajas
returned as the four woredas they were, parts of the new Jima zone, the latter included in the
Oromiya Region.
The last changes occurred three years ago when large woredas split into two woredas.
New formed woredas in Jima zone are:
- Limu Kosa woreda split into Limu Kosa and Cooraa Botor woredas;
- Limu Seka woreda split into Limu Seka and Nono Benja woredas;
- Goma woreda split into Goma and Gumay woredas.
The new seventeen Jima zone’s woredas (maqaa aannoolee 19
)
Cooraa Botor
Limmuu Saqqaa Shabee Somboo
Deedoo Maanaa Saaxmma
Geeraa Naanoo Beenjaa Sigmoo
Gommaa Omo Naadda Sokoruu
Gumaay Qaarsaa Xiroo Afaataa
Limmuu Kossaa Saqqaa Coqoorssa
Table 5: The new seventeen Jima zone’s woredas (data: Jima Zone Agriculture and Rural
Development Office, 8 th July 2009, prod: Bossolasco, 2009)
The Home Gardens of Ethiopia project chose for its investigations to focus on Limu
Kosa woreda, all kebele including. Indeed this district seems to better correspond to
geographical indication prospects: first because it regroups more coffee infrastructures and
institutions (service cooperatives union head office, state farms, investors’ modern
plantations), higher coffee production levels and shelters protected forests which are the
potential wild coffee environment. Anyway, even I also focused in Limu Kosa, I also
extended my investigations, in a lesser way, to Limu Seka, Chore Botor and Nono Benja
woredas. These four woredas are parts of the old Limu-Ennarea kingdom defeated by Amhara
conquerors in the second half of 19 th century, then were include in the old Limu awaraja
during the Haile Sélassie regime before forming the two ex-Limu awarajas during Mengistu
19 Maqaa aannoolee litterally means “name woredas” in Oromic. In the table, names are written in Oromic.
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