A Review on Coffee Farming, Production Potential and Constraints in Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Coffee based Agriculture is the cornerstone of Gedeo people’s economy. The authors review how was the coffee farming, production potential and its constraints in the study area. Coffee production potential covers around 49.74% of total cultivated arable land, and is grown mainly by smallholder farmers on plots of less/greater than one hectare. Gedeo (Yirgacheffe) produces high-quality specialty or fully washed coffee, which is intercropped with different agro-forestry practices indigenously due to land scarcity to enable farmers to achieve a better combination of food and cash crops. Coffee production in the area was organic with no inorganic fertilizer, due to this the coffees produced have unique flavor and taste which is accepted in world market as Yirgacheffe brand. Some of the Coffee productivity packages practiced in the area could be Mulching, Pruning, Composting all needed to boost yields. These practices will also help to improve the soils’ chemical and physical properties and control moisture loss during dry season, but farmers faces a lots of problem in coffee production, mainly lack of proper coffee extension, occurrences of disease and pests, lack of inputs for productivity package and undermined coffee prices . Based on the finding of the study farmers should be supported by government, nongovernmental organization and any concerned body for sustainable coffee production.

Keywords: coffee productivity packages coffee farming, organic coffee