Ethiopia launches nationwide coffee training program to boost quality, meet EU deforestation rules 

ETHIOPIA – The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) has launched a large-scale training program aimed at improving production standards across the country’s coffee value chain, targeting higher productivity and compliance with new international regulations. 

Implemented in partnership with the FOLUR-Ethiopia Project, the initiative is designed to equip producers and processors with modern agricultural techniques and sustainable practices.  

The program comes as Ethiopia pursues an ambitious plan to quadruple annual coffee export revenues to US$4.5 billion by 2033. 

Despite being the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia’s coffee sector has long struggled with inconsistent quality, fragmented supply chains, and environmental degradation. 

Smallholder farmers, who account for the majority of national coffee output, often rely on traditional farming methods that contribute to lower yields and significant post-harvest losses. 

The new training initiative aims to address these challenges by introducing improved cultivation methods and better farm management practices. 

A major factor driving the program is the upcoming European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which will require exporters to demonstrate that their coffee products are not linked to deforestation or forest degradation.  

Compliance with the regulation will require stronger traceability systems and improved data collection across the coffee supply chain. 

“Producing quality coffee and maintaining healthy trade practices is essential to preserving the Ethiopian coffee brand for future generations,” said Shafi Omer, Deputy Director General of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, during the launch of the program. 

According to Shafi, the training curriculum covers the entire coffee value chain, including soil management, scientific cultivation practices, waste reduction strategies, and modern marketing systems. 

“The goal is to translate national policy objectives into tangible improvements at the farm level,” he said. 

Shafi also cautioned industry stakeholders about potential volatility in global coffee markets. While Ethiopia has recorded gains in coffee output and export revenues during the current fiscal year, he noted that market analysis suggests a possible decline in international coffee prices. 

He therefore urged sector players to adopt data-driven approaches to cost management to maintain profitability. 

The training program is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the FOLUR-Ethiopia initiative.  

It introduces smallholder farmers to a “zero-waste” business model, enabling them to adopt waste management systems and modern storage techniques that reduce post-harvest losses. 

For millions of Ethiopian households that depend on coffee production, the shift toward sustainable farming practices is expected to help stabilize incomes while protecting the country’s unique coffee genetic resources. 

Separately, the National Geographic Society and PepsiCo’s Food for Tomorrow Fund recently announced five new research grants supporting on-farm studies aimed at advancing regenerative agriculture practices, with coffee identified as a key crop system. 

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