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Ethiopia: Coffee Farmers
Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin said yesterday that Ethiopia is committed to ensuring the rights of small coffee farmers to secure the appropriate return for their hard labour.
Opening the 4th Africa Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition here at the UN Conference Centre Seyoum said that the Ethiopian government would support East African Fine Coffee Association's (EAFCA) vision of further improving the production and export volume of coffee to benefit coffee farmers and traders.
"An increase in the production of coffee, as one of our main foreign currency earner, would advance efforts in making a gradual shift from subsistence to commercial agriculture," he said.
As the demand for African fine coffees will keep on increasing, Seyoum said, East African countries need to redouble their production and qualities. "East African coffees possess unique flavours. These qualities should be fully maintained and delivered to our buyers."
The Foreign Minister also urged members of EAFCA, in to actively support coffee associations in their efforts to minimize the negative impact of volatile coffee market price on farmers and improve their quality of life.
Meanwhile, State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Abera Deressa called upon Starbucks to recognize different brands of Ethiopian coffees.
The State Minister's statement came after talks with Alain Poncelet, Starbucks Vice President, who is here to attend the conference.
In his key note address at the conference, Poncelet pledged to double purchases of African coffees and staff an East African Farmer Support Centre.
As Ethiopia appreciates Starbucks' efforts in roasting, processing and packing and delivering of the coffees, they should recognize our poor farmers' efforts in producing huge amount of coffee, Dr. Abera said.
"They told us that they are going to recognize Ethiopian brands," Dr. Abera said. "But we want to see the practicality and its impact on our farmers," the State Minister said when asked about the position of Starbucks.
According to Dr. Abera, Ethiopia may consider taking measures within the framework of international copy rights regulation to protect its rights if the company fails to give recognition to Ethiopian coffee brands.
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