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

Sebsabies
Their role was to bring coffee from remote areas to the market purchasing it to
farmers, as the first middle men in the value chain, then transferring it immediately to
akhrabies who own warehouses. In August 2008, their license has been cancelled. Sebsabies
are now punished by law as illegal traders out of the central market. Their role has been
transferred to akhrabies who are now the only legal traders allowed to deal with farmers,
except service cooperatives. But sebsabies still exist ensuring the bulk of akhrabies purchase.
In regard to coffee quality defects, they carry all responsibility and are judged guilty as well
by agricultural office workers than coffee farmers or akhrabies for whom they work.
Illegal traders
Two types of illegal traders are distinct on local markets:
- A minority of farmers, surrounded by family members, bring dried coffee with husk,
locally called janfal 75
, on market days (Thursday and Saturday in Genet) depending on their
cash needs. Their illegality is due to the absence of any quality control or any trade license.
- A bulk of women traders (and rare workless men), doing black market, buying dried
coffee with husk to farmers, sebsabies, akhrabies, neighbours (sometimes picked on their
trees) all around the woreda then selling it to market. They are tolerated even out-of-law
because of the low quantities they represent. At home, they separate the coffee bean from the
husk using a tool named mokocha 76
. Then they bring and sell coffee on its three forms: bean,
bean+husk, husk, prices decreasing respectively. They keep on cleaning and separating coffee
from its husk all market day long.
75 Oromic.
76 Oromic.
Illustration 36: Woman
traders in Seka and Genet
markets (Bossolasco, August
2009)
82