Coffee is one of the most important products of Ethiopia, playing a key role in the country’s socio-economic development. It represents a major source of cash income and provider of employment supporting millions of farmers, and it is also the first item in revenue generated from export. For many years the Italian Cooperation Agency has been an active contributor to the Ethiopian Coffee sector. Increasing production is essential, but the real asset of the Ethiopian coffee resides in its quality, the beans of the Arabica.
Thanks to a successful Private and Public Partnership (PPP) among the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA), illycaffè, Ernesto Illy Foundation, and UNIDO, the project, funded by the Government of Italy has contributed to the value-addition within the coffee chain in Ethiopia by improving living conditions and capital returns of smallholders and their families through the promotion of sustainable production, transformation and exportation of Ethiopian coffee.
The initiative also established the first Coffee Training Center (CTC- https://ctc.et/) in Ethiopia, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including brewing, roasting, sensory laboratories, and a café. The CTC provides a wide range of services, supplying professionals with international standard knowledge and skillsets. These include training courses on coffee economics, production and post-harvest practices, processing, cupping and grading, roasting, grinding, brewing, packaging, and marketing. In addition to that, it also provides a physical platform for national and international public and private stakeholders to meet, promote services, train operators, and further foster public-private partnership initiatives.
Being heavy coffee drinkers, Ethiopians and Italians are ranked among the largest coffee consumers in the world. This tasty and energetic drink is mainly consumed during social events such as family gatherings and spiritual celebrations. Are you ready for your next coffee?
Source: Ambasciata d’Italia ad Addis Abeba
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