Ethiopia’s significant coffee production stems from a diverse range of favorable conditions, including a favorable environment and minimal disease and pest pressures. Remarkably, Ethiopia possesses a unique advantage as the sole country naturally gifted to produce specialty coffee. The reasons for this exceptional status are manifold:

• The distinctive flavor profiles of Ethiopian coffee result from the various geographical origins, each contributing its own unique „incense of aroma, flavor, and taste.“
• Ethiopia’s vast genetic pool, encompassing ex-situ reserves, in-situ reserves, jungle forest coffees, and more, allows for the extraction of a wide array of flavor notes.

The cultivation of coffee in Ethiopia is classified into four categories: forest coffee (10%), semi-forest coffee (35%), garden coffee (50%), and modern coffee plantations (5%), collectively contributing to the country’s coffee production. The majority, over 90%, of coffee is grown by smallholder farmers, reflecting the strong community involvement in the industry. With 1.2 million hectares of land dedicated to coffee production, approximately 900,000 hectares are estimated to be actively productive, illustrating the substantial scale of Ethiopia’s coffee-growing endeavors.