“Amaro Gayo, and more specifically one woman in the community, Asnakech Thomas, had an export license. Ethiopian law requires that exporters have at least 30 hectares of land, which Asnakech does. Through her, a handful of farmers found a way to sell their coffee directly, bypassing the ECX. And because the coffees were so good, they sold for double the rate of other coffees in this region. This has allowed farmers to reinvest in their community, and in their coffee farms, further improving quality. This is a win-win scenario, benefitting farmers and consumers. “The bottom line is that Ethiopia is a challenging coffee origin, yet it still manages to find ways to export some of the world's finest coffees almost every year. Despite grinding poverty, low yields, unpredictable weather and impenetrable bureaucracy, chances are 2011 will be no exception.” - David Pohl Asnakech Thomas (Photo: Courtesy of The Huffington Post) David Pohl ( Equator Coffees and Teas) The Huffington Post...