Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Natural Gr. 1 – Idedo – Mrs. Tigest Wako

Burman Coffee Traders

Details

Origin

Ethiopia

Process

Natural

Roast Suitability

Description

Most Ethiopian coffee is not traceable down to the farmer. It is mill blends and different sorting chops. This rare example is traceable to a single producer, which helps ensure the sustainability practices & gets rid of a large middleman industry between buyers and producers. The Small Farmer Project is the result of an effort to support Ethiopian producers with a marketplace for farm-traceable coffees. This project is made possible in conjunction with Lulo Coffees, an Ethiopian export and coffee development company dedicated to connecting small producers with buyers. Natural coffees are typically delivered the day they are harvested, and are first sorted for ripeness and quality before being rinsed clean of dirt. Then they are spread on raised drying beds or tables, where they will be rotated constantly throughout the course of drying. Drying can take an average of 8–25 days, depending on the weather. Mrs. Tigest Wako was born and raised in Idedo. Her husband, Mr. Abraham, is a pastor in Idedo town and also works in coffee as a supplier. Mrs. Wako inherited her family’s 7.6 hectares farm from her parents. When she inherited the farm, it used to have old varieties of coffees such as Kurume and Dega. Now most of those old varieties have been replaced by new varieties such as 74110 and 74112. One reason her coffees stand out is due to their location. Mrs. Wako’s farm is located in Idedo within the Gedeo zone. This zone is home to the Yirgacheffe town and the Yirgacheffe coffee type. Idedo is one of the two localities that produce the top Yirgacheffe type coffees. Mrs. Wako is one of the few female landowners in her locality. In the Gedeo’s tradition (an ethnic group where she is from), land inheritance usually goes to male children. Also, the Gedeo zone is one of the most densely populated areas in Africa with average farmland ranging around a hectare. Her 7.6 ha farm makes her one of the few farmers with that size of farm. As a woman farm owner, she faces challenges