Ethiopia Celebrates Top 40 Coffee Farmers in the Fourth Special Competition
In a monumental boost for Ethiopia’s coffee industry, the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, alongside the Ethiopian National Coffee Association and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, unveiled the top 40 contestants in the 4th Special Coffee Tasting Competition. This announcement marks a significant milestone in promoting Ethiopian coffee on the global stage.
Over the past six months, more than 800 small-scale coffee farmers, each managing less than 20 hectares, entered this prestigious competition. Following rigorous evaluations, 150 contestants from Jimma, Hawassa, Dire Dawa, and Addis Ababa advanced to the next stage. The top 40 farmers, selected based on stringent criteria, will now compete internationally, with their exceptional coffees being auctioned online at the end of August 2024, offering them a chance for premium prices and global recognition.
Top 40 Contestants:
- Basha Bekele (Jimma)
- Mathews Lemesana (Hawassa)
- Bukuto Dure (Dire Dawa)
- Wondimu Alemayehu (Addis Ababa)
- Fikadu Assefa (Jimma)
- Abeba Gezahegn (Hawassa)
- Dereje Tesfaye (Dire Dawa)
- Girma Teshome (Addis Ababa)
- Alemu Tesfaye (Jimma)
- Kidane Kassa (Hawassa)
- Eshetu Berhanu (Dire Dawa)
- Abebe Tadesse (Addis Ababa)
- Bekele Girma (Jimma)
- Mulu Tsegaye (Hawassa)
- Teshome Assefa (Dire Dawa)
- Getachew Alemu (Addis Ababa)
- Kedir Mohammed (Jimma)
- Tsion Gebremedhin (Hawassa)
- Solomon Asfaw (Dire Dawa)
- Abreham Mulugeta (Addis Ababa)
- Kassahun Solomon (Jimma)
- Genet Bekele (Hawassa)
- Daniel Fikre (Dire Dawa)
- Almaz Wubishet (Addis Ababa)
- Yohannes Getu (Jimma)
- Lemma Tilahun (Hawassa)
- Tamiru Alemu (Dire Dawa)
- Haile Tadesse (Addis Ababa)
- Zenebe Assefa (Jimma)
- Kebede Bekele (Hawassa)
- Tesfaye Ayele (Dire Dawa)
- Tilahun Tsegaye (Addis Ababa)
- Melkamu Tesfaye (Jimma)
- Getnet Kebede (Hawassa)
- Worku Tadesse (Dire Dawa)
- Hiwot Alemayehu (Addis Ababa)
- Meseret Tadesse (Jimma)
- Dereje Wondimu (Hawassa)
- Fikru Asfaw (Dire Dawa)
- Genene Tesfaye (Addis Ababa)
Shafi Umer, Deputy Director General of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, emphasized the competition’s transformative impact on Ethiopian coffee. “This annual event significantly benefits our farmers and elevates the quality of Ethiopian coffee on the global stage,” he stated.
The competition, modeled after the Cup of Excellence, aims to empower coffee farmers by securing better value for their products. The 3rd Cup of Excellence in 2022 saw Ethiopian coffee earn international acclaim, with prices reaching USD 10 per kilogram.
Economic and Community Impact
USAID’s Deputy Director, Tim Stein, praised Ethiopian coffee’s unique flavors and highlighted ongoing support since 2020, which includes establishing coffee warehouses, a research lab, and training nearly 100 quality graders. These efforts have significantly improved the competitiveness of Ethiopian coffee, raising over USD 7.5 million in revenue.
Coffee, the backbone of Ethiopia’s economy, generates USD 1.5 billion in foreign exchange annually. The competition and international support have enhanced productivity, quality, and market access for Ethiopian coffee farmers, linking them to global buyers willing to pay premium prices.
Hussein Ambo, President of the Ethiopian National Coffee Association, underscored the pivotal role of such competitions in supporting smallholder farmers, particularly women, and enhancing their household income.
Looking ahead, the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority aims to achieve USD 1.4 billion in coffee exports in 2024, reinforcing Ethiopia’s position as a global coffee powerhouse. The event also featured notable contributions from partners like Youngto Coffee, whose CEO, Usan Chung, donated a green technology solar system to this year’s winner.
The 4th Special Coffee Tasting Competition not only highlights Ethiopia’s rich coffee heritage but also sets new standards for quality and market access, ensuring a bright future for Ethiopian coffee farmers.
