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Ethiopia

Conservation of Wild Coffee Forests in Ethiopia

The remaining 2,000 square kilometres of afromontane cloud forest in the former kingdom of Kafa in the south-west of Ethiopia provide not only storage for vital groundwater reserves for the region, they are also home to a wide variety of species and make up one of the most important genetic reserves of the world. Wild-growing Coffea arabica can be found here, which is a genetic re-source of value beyond measure. Nine months after flowering, the coffee plants bear red, cherry-like fruits. The fruit’s flesh conceals two seeds, flat-tened on their inner side – the green coffee beans. Around 90 percent of the coffee that is drunk around the world is Coffea arabica.

The fascinating giant trees, lianas, tree parasites and ferns of the ancient forest form a dense, green vegetation that is home to an abundance of plants and animal species, in particular home to the striking black and white colobus monkey. Lions, leopards, wild cats, wild pigs and antelopes, such as the red forest duiker or the hartebeest, are widespread in this region and are heavily threatened by ever increasing forest clearances, livestock grazing and the increased usage of forest resources. The area also contains more than 100 bird species and therefore is considered to be an Important Bird Area.

The population of the Kafa Region has collected wild coffee for generations for their own consumption using traditional and specially adapted methods; the coffee has never been sold on a commercial basis. In Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries of the world, the population growth and increasing poverty are putting more and more pressure on the region and on its forests. At the same time, investors are clearing the original and natural forest and replacing it with coffee or tea plantations instead.

To find a way out of the current situation and protect these unique rainforests, NABU has teamed up with several partners to advocate the sustainable use of wild coffee and promote specially adapted and sustainable development of the region. The introduction of a certification system for the wild coffee which takes social and environmental factors into account and improved quality con-trols and international marketing ensure that the wild coffee pickers earn a higher wage.

NABU is leading the way in the establishment of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The concept should meaningfully link up the protection of the remaining forests with the sustainable development of the region. The conception of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve aims to protect important natural landscapes and envisages the establishment of one or more highly protected core zones in the forest, a buffer zone to protect the core area from damage and a transition zone where the local population can establish sustainable development.

The infrastructure for the protected area will be built in close cooperation with the Ethiopian state and with the project partners. Research and remote sens-ing were implemented and concepts for the sustainable development of the region were drafted.

Project partners:
Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (the German Society for Technical Cooperation, GTZ), German Foundation for World Population (DSW), GEO Rainforest Conserva-tion, Kraft Foods, Original Food GmbH, Rotary Germany

The Country
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is located in East Africa in the Horn of Africa. The country has an impressive and diverse geography ranging from mountain peaks reaching over 4,000 metres above sea level to one of the lowest points in the world, the Danakil Depression. The topography of Ethiopia is made up of cool highlands and their surrounding hot lowlands. Ap-proximately 60 percent of the landmass is defined as being arid or semi-arid and is therefore not optimal for use in agriculture.

The diversity of the ecosystems present in Ethiopia provides habitat for a rich flora and fauna, including many endemic species (i.e. species which are not found elsewhere in the world). Around 880 different species of bird have been recorded in Ethiopia, 23 of which are indigenous such as the blue-winged goose, the Rouget’s rail or the wattled ibis. There are even more endemic plants; around 12 percent of the 6,603 plant species are classed as endemic – Ethiopia is, for this reason, considered to have the most unique plant life in the whole of Africa. Ethiopia has at least 277 animal species, including en-demic species such as the Ethiopian wolf, Gelada, colobus monkey and the Soemmerring’s gazelle. Ethiopia is one of the world’s eight top biodiversity hotspots and the original birthplace of coffee, the “false banana” and grain varieties, such as teff. Over 20 different crop species come from Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s system of protected areas encompasses 12 national parks and is supplemented by around 100 additional nationally protected areas with differ-ent levels of protection status. The civil war left its mark on Ethiopia’s pro-tected areas and it is planned that they will be restored to being an effective network of protected areas once more through their reassessment and long-term regeneration. The forests in the south and south-west of the country, the home of wild coffee, are officially protected as National Forest Priority Areas. There are currently no UNESCO biosphere reserves in Ethiopia.

Tourism in Ethiopia is concentrated on cultural-historic or on ethnic themes. Other African countries have tourism that focuses on wildlife tours and safaris or on ecotourism, which provides a reliable source of income and therefore supports the protected areas: this has, however, only been developed to a small extent in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world. A large amount of the population is living below the poverty level. The war against Eritrea (1998-2000) caused the process of development to take a few steps backwards. The country’s economy relies heavily on agriculture with around 80% of the popu-lation working in this sector. Long periods of drought, flooding catastrophes, land in state ownership and unprofessional agricultural practices all present grave challenges for the country’s self-sufficiency. Ethiopia’s most important agricultural export is coffee.

Threats to the Environment
War, famine and population growth all have had drastic consequences for Ethiopia’s natural environment. The results of deforestation, soil erosion and land degradation can hardly ever be reversed. Overgrazing by cattle that are left free to graze, destroys the vegetation cover in many places and leads to further erosion. Every year, farmers in Ethiopia lose 400 tonnes of fertile soil per hectare due to wind and water erosion. Large portions of the land area were originally covered with forest, but the level of forest coverage has now decreased to less than three percent. The only large natural forest areas that are left in Ethiopia are in the south-west of the country and in remote regions in the south. The population is highly dependant on firewood and the demand can only be partially met by fast-growing species such as eucalyptus. State-sponsored reforestation programmes were only started in the 1970s and have focused mostly on fast-growing wood species rather than on indigenous species.

According to a statement from the International Union for Conservation of Na-ture (IUCN) there are currently 151 plant species, 21 mammal species and 17 bird species that are threatened with extinction.

In the mean time, the exploitation of nature is continuing: massive economic investment projects from industrialised Western countries and aspiring emerg-ing nations. Examples of this are the construction of hydroelectric power sta-tions and paper mills or the expansion of rose plantations and plantations to grow crops for fuel, like sugarcane. Projects like these all yield short-term profits, but they damage nature and the environment irreparably.

Contact
If you have questions about our work in Ethiopia or would like to support our projects, please contact:

Svane Bender-Kaphengst
Officer for International Species Protection
Email: Svane.Bender@NABU.de

Reisebericht aus Äthiopien

“Saving Ethiopia's Wild Coffee Forests"

Article by the British travel journalist and photographer Ron Toft

Dense, wildlife-rich, mountain rainforests once covered huge swathes of south-west Ethiopia in a carpet of green. Today, only fragments of this priceless natural heritage remain. Ron Toft perfectly summarizes NABU’s commitment towards the conservation of Ethiopia’s wild coffee forests. Read his article and learn more about NABU’s mission in Ethiopia or visit www.TheTravelEditor.com Mehr

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