Production System Characterization of Coffee in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Implications for Research and Development Intervention

Abstract

Although coffee has historically been grown as a garden crop in different areas of
the Amhara Region, there is no complete documentation about the coffee
production system for research and development interventions in the region. This
article was intended to characterize the main socio-economic and biophysical
constraints and opportunities of coffee growing areas in the Amhara region. A
combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used to generate data. A
multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select a total of 344 target coffee
growers. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequency,
percentage, SWOT analysis and narration were used. Around 85.50% of the coffee
growers produce coffee as a garden crop. The Region's coffee cropping calendar,
which runs from planting to harvesting, is influenced by the rainfall season and
farmers' access to irrigation. The study found that among the main factors limiting
coffee production in the area are lack of improved coffee varieties, diseases, pests,
drought, farmers' low level of knowledge and skill on pre- and post-harvest
management, limited access to irrigation water, and the growth of unlicensed
traders. The main potential for coffee production in the region, however, were the
emerging primary coffee cooperatives and unions, the presence of NGOs investing
in coffee production, the strong interest of the regional government, and the
availability of coffee nursery sites. The agronomic practice and management
methods used by coffee growers in the area were traditional. Despite different
challenges faced in production and marketing of Amhara region coffee, primary
coffee cooperatives and unions were established. Therefore, there needs to be a
holistic approach to improve the coffee production system, and there needs to be an
improvement in the management skills of cooperatives and unions