Promoting domestic coffee consumption and developing markets for all types of coffee would have an important contribution in improving the lives of farmers and the national economy as a whole.
In Africa, domestic coffee consumption varies considerably from one country to another. Ethiopia is among the top African countries in the volume of domestic coffee consumption as Ethiopian households have a special attachment with coffee.
More than half of Ethiopia’s domestic coffee production is consumed locally. It is equally served to the poor and rich or in the spacious villas to the poor domicile. It is a heartfelt invitation to have a cup of coffee with loved ones. In every door, office buildings or other edifices, cultural coffee makers try to attract passersby.
Coffee (production and consumption) is a brand to Ethiopia. For quite a long time, coffee has been a dominant foreign currency earner. While the domestic consumption of coffee significantly increased, coffee remained one of the top foreign currency earners.
Increasing domestic consum ption has various advantages to ensure the sustainable coffee industry and boost the income of coffee producers particularly smallholder farmers. It helps producers to get market and earn higher profits locally as market access directly or indirectly affects the livelihoods.
Launching a workshop on domestic coffee consumption in Addis recently, Dr.Fred Kawuma, Secretary-General of Inter-Africa Coffee Organization said that the price which the farmers receive in Ethiopia locally is higher than the prices that the international market pays. This is a model for African countries to take Ethiopia’s experience.
During the occasion, coffee producer African countries have expressed to share the experience of Ethiopia regarding domestic coffee consumption.
International Coffee Orga nization (ICO) Chief Economist Dr. Denis Seudieu said that increasing domestic coffee consumption in Africa is imperative to achieve a sustainable coffee industry and boost the income of coffee producers.
Currently, coffee producers are experiencing low price in the international market and it has a serious impact on farmers as the market is decided in the international arena.
Coffee in Ethiopia has a special place in rural and urban lifestyles. This helped Ethiopia to consume most of its production, Dr.Adugna Debela, Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority General Director.
Increasing or boosting local consumption will help to regulate market problems when the coffee price fluctuates at the international market. This enables producers to solve market crisis by selling locally with better price. This, in fact, requires a system that sets the fair price in the local market.
The promotion of domestic consumption of coffee in Africa also presents a great opportunity for inter-Africa trade.
According to Kawuma, the low level of African countries’ coffee consumption experience can be linked to colonial history in Africa that colonial powers wanted Africa to export all its coffee to Europe.
The Ethiopian Herald July 25/2019
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
