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
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>Coffe</strong>e ripens <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>ce a year and vanishes after wards. Then after, it became customary<br />
to dry the <strong>coffee</strong> and to use it <strong>on</strong> daily basis. People began to be addicted to <strong>coffee</strong> and even<br />
used the leaves of the plant when it was not possible to get the <strong>coffee</strong> cherry. At the time<br />
various traditi<strong>on</strong>al medicines were mixed with <strong>coffee</strong> to be c<strong>on</strong>sumed. Especially pers<strong>on</strong>s<br />
with flue, malaria and comm<strong>on</strong> cold began to add pepper in the <strong>coffee</strong> in search of remedy. It<br />
was believed that the body temperature increasing after c<strong>on</strong>suming the mixture would heal the<br />
disease. Even today, when modern medical services are not available, <strong>coffee</strong> is used to treat<br />
diseases related to the throat. <strong>Coffe</strong>e is roasted without pealing off the cover. The <strong>coffee</strong> grain<br />
is mixed with butter to be eaten. In additi<strong>on</strong> piper and butter are mixed together in order to be<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sumed.<br />
Therefore, people boil the leaf of <strong>coffee</strong> plant and drink the juice. This is called Chembo.<br />
Alternatively, it is named Kuti in Harar and Chemo in the south.<br />
The equivalent of the word <strong>coffee</strong> (Buna) has its roots in the Oromic language. It signifies<br />
c<strong>on</strong>siderable respect. Children are called after this product. <strong>Coffe</strong>e began to be used in this<br />
society at least in the 4 th century. <strong>Coffe</strong>e in the ancient times was exported from Enaria to<br />
other border areas. At the time, people who c<strong>on</strong>sumed <strong>coffee</strong> were free of diseases as it had<br />
healing effect. It is similar as that of incense, civet and others.”<br />
These three stories agree to recognize as a potential <strong>coffee</strong> origin site the current Suntu<br />
State Farm covered area. A fourth <strong>on</strong>e completely breaks this tendency:<br />
- A 70 years-old peasant (<strong>Limu</strong> Genet) told me that an Algerian trader, Nasser Allah,<br />
imported <strong>coffee</strong> in <strong>Limu</strong> which is not the place of <strong>coffee</strong> origin. He imported <strong>coffee</strong> plants<br />
from Godjam and planted it in Miyaa forest, in Tanaboo Laaloo kebele area now under Suntu<br />
State Farm authority. He couldn’t menti<strong>on</strong> any date but situates it l<strong>on</strong>g time before Menelik.<br />
After planting in Miyaa forest, Nasser Allah repeated it in Gumer (<strong>Limu</strong> Kosa woreda) then<br />
Agaro forests (Goma woreda).<br />
It has to be c<strong>on</strong>sidered that Bruce in 1790 menti<strong>on</strong>ed that <strong>coffee</strong> trees got introduced close<br />
to Lake Tana in the 17 th century by Almeida in Azazo and that at the beginnings of the 19 th<br />
century the main <strong>coffee</strong> plantati<strong>on</strong>s in Christian kingdoms were <strong>on</strong> these Lake Tana banks<br />
(Mercier, 1980-2). Ethiopian Muslims were in charge of its producti<strong>on</strong>, and it was essentially<br />
exported. Why wouldn’t be possible that traders and trees travelled from G<strong>on</strong>dar to Kaffa,<br />
passing by Gojam?<br />
70