Poor Farmer

Note from Wondwossen : an depth analysis on the state of Ethiopia's coffee sector, including this USAID-sponsored event is forthcoming on this blog. --- Waltainfo (the ruling party's primary news outlet) November 9, 2012 Addis Ababa, November 9, 2012 (WIC)   - The first International Conference on Ethiopian Coffee aimed at enhancing the position of Ethiopian coffee in the international market through exchange of information and sharing of best practices opened on Thursday in Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian Coffee Exporters Association (ECEA) in collaboration with Ministry of Trade, USAID and Commercial Bank of Ethiopia organized the two-day conference under the theme: Strengthening the Legacy of Our Coffee. The conference is expected to address key opportunities and challenges facing the coffee sector and promote the uniqueness of Ethiopian coffee. Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn said coffee is livelihood for more than 15 m...

By Allison Aubrey NPR November 07, 2012   1:37 PM These four women are at the forefront of change, empowering other  women in the coffee industry (clockwise from top left): Angele Ciza, Fatima Aziz Faraji, Immy Kamarade and Mbula Musau. Photo: Karen Castillo Farfán / NPR If you're a coffee drinker, chances are the cup of java you drank this morning was made from beans that were produced or harvested by women. Women's handprints can be found at every point in coffee production. In fact, on family-owned coffee farms in Africa, about 70 percent of maintenance and harvesting work is done by women, according to an  analysis  by the International Trade Centre, but only rarely do women own the land or have financial control. The  International Women's Coffee Alliance  (IWCA) is trying to change that by giving them access to training and networking, and the opportunity to develop new trade relationships. We sat down recently wi...

By Kate Kelland Reuters November 8, 2012 (Reuters) - Rising temperatures due to climate change could mean wild arabica coffee is extinct in 70 years, posing a risk to the genetic sustainability of one of the world's basic   commodities , scientists said. Although commercial coffee growers would still be able to cultivate crops in plantations designed with the right conditions, experts say the loss of wild arabica, which has greater genetic diversity, would make it harder for plantations to survive long-term and beat threats like pests and disease. A study by researchers at Britain's Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in collaboration with scientists in Ethiopia found that 38 to 99.7 percent of the areas suitable for wild arabica will disappear by 2080 if predictions of rising temperatures pan out. Because coffee is a highly climate-dependent crop, the increase of a few degrees of average temperature in growing regions can put at risk the future of Arabica coff...

The Impact of Climate Change on Indigenous Arabica Coffee ( Coffea arabica ): Predicting Future Trends and Identifying Priorities Excerpts Source: PLOSONE (a peer reviewed open access journal) Published October 7, 2012 Abstract Precise modelling of the influence of climate change on Arabica coffee is limited; there are no data available for indigenous populations of this species. In this study we model the present and future predicted distribution of indigenous Arabica, and identify priorities in order to facilitate appropriate decision making for conservation, monitoring and future research. Using distribution data we perform bioclimatic modelling and examine future distribution with the HadCM3 climate model for three emission scenarios (A1B, A2A, B2A) over three time intervals (2020, 2050, 2080). The models show a profoundly negative influence on indigenous Arabica. ... Based on known occurrences and ecological tolerances of Arabica, bioclimatic unsuitability...

IRIN ( a service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ) November 7, 2012 Addis Ababa — As Ethiopia imposes increasing restrictions on foreign-backed NGOs, cooperatives - which have boosted the country's coffee industry - are being championed as a preferred model for economic development. NGOs have been active in Ethiopia for roughly 40 years, yet the country still ranks in the world's seventh percentile in terms of health, education and living standards, according to the UN Development Programme's human development index. This has led to questions about the effectiveness of NGOs - especially those that are foreign-backed - in creating tangible, long-term progress. By contrast, say development observers and government advisers, the cooperative model give ownership of development issues to those affected by them, creating incentives for lasting change. "Cooperatives are businesses owned and run by and for their members... They ...

Excerpts from ICO Monthly Coffee Market Report October 2012 Coffee prices underwent further declines in October, as both Arabicas and Robustas lost value during the month. Over the last six months, the ICO composite indicator price has mostly maintained a range of around 140 – 160 US cents/lb, averaging 147.12 in October, its second ‐ lowest level in over two years. Volatility for all group indicators fell slightly compared to the previous month. Crop year 2012/13 has now started in all exporting countries, and on the basis of the information currently available, total production is estimated at around 147 million bags, compared to 134.5 million bags in 2011/12. The majority of this increase can be attributed to the on ‐ year in the biennial cycle of Arabica production in Brazil. Production in Vietnam during crop year 2011/12 has been revised upwards to just over 24 million bags, 23.6% higher than in 2010/11. Strong production was also recorded in Honduras and Peru, among...

By Leslie Josephs The Wall Street Journal November 4, 2012 NEW YORK—Arabica-coffee prices are at nearly their lowest point since June, and market conditions point to still lower prices ahead. Arabica coffee for delivery in December ended at $1.5345 a pound on ICE Futures U.S. on Thursday, the lowest settlement since June 20. Prices recovered slightly on Friday, rising 1.3 cents, or 0.8%, to $1.5470 a pound, but were still down 1.9% for the week. Arabica-coffee futures have been well below 2011's levels, when prices peaked above $3 a pound. To try to counter the drop, Brazilian coffee growers have been storing rather than selling their arabica beans. But Colombia and Central American growers kicked off their harvests last month, and as the influx of supply pushes prices lower, Brazilian growers may try to sell before the prices fall too far. "There's a lot of coffee in the hands of Brazilian producers," said Marcio Bernardo, an analyst a...