Ethiopian Arabica Coffee Faces Threat of Extinction
According to a new study by KEW and Environment and Coffee Forest Forum (ECFF), titled Coffee Farming and Climate Change in Ethiopia, Arabica Coffee, one of the highest quality coffees in the world, might be absolutely extinct by the end of this century. The report states that, unless immediate actions are taken to reverse the current trend of climate change, Ethiopia is on the verge of losing its status as one of the top five countries in the world for exporting coffee just in 50 years.
Coffee Arabica is not only high quality, organic and forest-based coffee, but also unique for Ethiopia. It is a forest plant restricted to the highlands of the nation and in small areas in South Sudan. As a result, Ethiopia is a biological home for Coffee Arabica. The country takes a strong pride in this golden cash crop for a variety of reasons. Its economic significance is so enormous that, one quarter of Ethiopia’s total export earning comes from Coffee alone. Ethiopia is also Africa’s biggest coffee producer and the world’s fifth exporter of Coffee Arabica. According to estimates, the livelihood of nearly 15 million farmers, most of them small holders, depend on coffee production. In addition to its value as a top export commodity and a source of desperately needed foreign exchange, coffee also has an enormous cultural significance and traditional value for Ethiopians.
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