A study case on coffee (Coffea arabica): Limu Coffe - IRD
A study case on coffee (Coffea arabica): Limu Coffe - IRD
A study case on coffee (Coffea arabica): Limu Coffe - IRD
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300 members. The average producti<strong>on</strong> per individual member was assessed with 596 kg of<br />
dry forest <strong>coffee</strong> per year. These results obtained from cooperative chairmen in Gzmeret,<br />
Michiti, Medfegna and Chiri in the research project “C<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> and use of wild<br />
populati<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>coffee</strong> Arabica in the m<strong>on</strong>tane rainforest of Ethiopia” (c<strong>on</strong>ducted from 2003 to<br />
2007 by the Center for Development Research, B<strong>on</strong>n, Germany) can be applied to the agro-<br />
forest system met in <strong>Limu</strong> Kosa. In total, it is estimated that <strong>on</strong>ly 6-10% of the total Ethiopian<br />
<strong>coffee</strong> producti<strong>on</strong> is gained from forest producti<strong>on</strong> systems (Abebaw and Virchow, 2003).<br />
But, even if the agro-forest producti<strong>on</strong> data seem low, <strong>on</strong>ly 7% of the farmers interviewed in<br />
the same project in B<strong>on</strong>ga regi<strong>on</strong> are not producing forest <strong>coffee</strong>. Reas<strong>on</strong>s are loss of forest<br />
land to spiritual leader or death of all <strong>coffee</strong> plants due to disease affecti<strong>on</strong> (Urich, 2005).<br />
4.2.3) Small-scale farmers<br />
<strong>Coffe</strong>e is associated to subsistence crops as maize, enset, avocado, ginger or tomato.<br />
Familial crops c<strong>on</strong>stitute ecosystems sheltering many animal and vegetal species. <strong>Coffe</strong>e trees<br />
roots dive deeply and prevent soil erosi<strong>on</strong>. Few inputs are used (less than 10% of farmers use<br />
it) just to c<strong>on</strong>trol perennial weeds (coach grass, Cyprus species). The vast majority of<br />
producti<strong>on</strong> comes from smallholder producti<strong>on</strong>, especially from their home garden. Trees are<br />
rain fed and these are indeed low input-output farming systems. <strong>Coffe</strong>e management is<br />
minimal with <strong>coffee</strong> generally grown under forest trees canopies with little pruning, field<br />
hygiene or stumping. The low input characteristic of farming in many <strong>coffee</strong> growing areas<br />
means that much of Ethiopia’s producti<strong>on</strong> can be c<strong>on</strong>sidered organic, although little<br />
certificati<strong>on</strong> has taken place yet. Lack of management means harvests occur in a regular<br />
fluctuating cycle: peak/high-medium-low (Urich, 2005). For better yields this system calls for<br />
proper pruning, cultivati<strong>on</strong> to destroy perennial weeds, selective picking, c<strong>on</strong>trolled drying,<br />
shade and suitable spacing ratio between interplants and the <strong>coffee</strong> trees (Bantte, 1995).<br />
Illustrati<strong>on</strong> 22: Mulching, animal dung, stumping, tillage (Bossolasco, 2009)<br />
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