This lot comes from the 26 smallholders that make up the Dubale Dukamo producer group. Farms are located in the Dambi area of Sidama regional state near to the town of Bensa. This large coffee growing area covers 66 hectares and the main varietal grown is 74158. The area benefits from a very high elevation of up to 2200 metres and the coffee grows under a canopy of native shade trees like false banana and other shade-giving perennials.
These varietals come from wild plants in the Metu-Bishari forest in the Illuababora zone in western Ethiopia. They are known for their resistance to CBD and produce high yields, as well as having pronounced citrus and floral characteristics. Buriso processes his coffee at his family home and since, like most small farmers, only produces natural coffees as there is little to no access to mechanical de-pulping machinery.
Farmers here are conscious of their environment and are particularly focused on water conservation due to the erratic rainfall experienced over all the coffee areas of Ethiopia during the 2021/22 season. Around where the coffee grows the farmers create ridge irrigation to help the soil moist and nutrient rich. Organic fertiliser is added to the base of the tree which consists of discarded coffee cherry pulp with manure and other prunings.
This lot is naturally processed and sun-dried on raised beds before going to the Yosef dry mill for hulling and sorting.
Ethiopia first started exporting coffee in the 15th century. It was brought by Somali merchants to Yemen for Sufi mystics, as they drank it to concentrate better on their chanting. Today, coffee export makes up around 70% of the county's export earnings, and it is estimated that a quarter of the Ethiopian population works within the coffee industry.
Almost all coffee is grown on small farms, or ''garden coffees'' that cover less than a hectare and producing around 300kg of coffee per year. This is also one of the only countries with wild grown coffee that is harvested from native forest trees. Even the famous Geisha varietal can be found growing wild here.
Ethiopia is famous for producing incredible sun dried naturally processed coffees. However, over half of all Ethiopian coffee is processed using this method. The coffee cherry is pulped to removed the fruit, fermented and then washed.
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