Representational file photo.
Addis Ababa: Ethiopia has started implementing a new 10-year national strategic initiative to modernize the country's coffee production value chain, and more than double average coffee productivity.
The Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture announced Tuesday that the effective implementation of the new flagship national coffee production and productivity initiative will help increase average coffee productivity from the current 900 kg per hectare to 2,100 per hectare within the coming 10 years.
With the overarching goal of transforming the country's coffee sector from conventional practices to modern and productive methods, the initiative aims to significantly enhance the country's coffee production capacity across more than 1.15 million hectares of land, the ministry noted.
Ethiopia's annual coffee production has grown from 500,000 tonnes five years ago to 1.5 million tonnes this year, while the country's coffee export earnings also witnessed a significant increase, generating more than 3 billion U.S. dollars during the 2025/26 Ethiopian fiscal year that ended on July 7, according to the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority.
Agriculture Minister Addisu Arega noted that coffee production serves as a major pillar of Ethiopia's economy, supports the livelihoods of millions of farmers, and acts as a primary catalyst for the country's overall export trade.
"Our strategic direction is to transform this immense potential through higher productivity, improved quality and sustainable production, moving from production to value, and from value to global markets," he said.
The initiative envisages promoting modern and improved production practices. These include the use of improved coffee varieties, increased coffee-tree density, improved pruning, improved harvesting and post-harvest handling, as well as integrated pest management, irrigation, and fertilizer applications.
The initiative's successful implementation is expected to bolster institutional coordination and collaboration by bringing together coffee producers, researchers, experts, and leaders on a single coffee development agenda to further expand and modernize Ethiopia's coffee sector.
