The Birth Place of Coffee

The SNNPRS is the birth place of Arabica coffee. The name coffee driven from Kaffa so that kaffa zone in unique place called Mankira in decha district, at Buni sub-vilage is origin of coffee. Ethiopia was not only origin and home land of man kind, but also home land of Arabica coffee. Around 5000 varieties grow wild in the forests. In the region, coffee ceremony is an integral part of social & cultural life. The Kaffa coffee forests In June 2010 UNESCO Certified by Biosphere reserve, an area covering 760,000 hectars.

Coffee Forest

Coffee Ceremony

Coffee Visiting Sites

As it is already known coffee Arabica first originated in Ethiopia in SNNPRS in Kaffa Zone in the place known as Mankira.  Ethiopia is one of major coffee producer nation in Africa. Coffee is harvested in different parts of the country. Above all the Southern regional State accounts over half of the nations coffee harvesting. The main coffee growing areas in the region include Sidama, Gedo, Kaffa, & BenchiMaji Zones. As land of discovery Coffee harvesting & processing is an amazing part of Agro tourism. The Gedo (yirgachife) & Sidama coffee are well known at International market for their finest quality of production & have their own brands of selling. It is very Pleasant enjoyable to visit coffee in its harvesting &processing period which usually annually extends from September to January. Although it is accessible to visit in most parts of these Zones, the most appropriate areas for visiting are:

1. Wottona Bultuma Coffee Cooperative site

It is found 60kms from     Hawassa in Aletawendo wereda.Here:                                

• - You enjoy an easy trekking to the colorful home gardens of the plantation
• - Visiting the coffee processing station including the coffee testing machine
• - Testing atypical local meal called ‘Bursame” followed by the famous Ethiopian Coffee ceremony

 2. Around Aregash Lodge

It is found 45kms from Hawassa in Yirgalem town. Here:-

• - By staying in the lodge the tourists can visit the farmers coffee gardens around the lodge.
• - Tasting the Sidama”s known cultural ‘Bursame” with Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

3. Yirgachife Farmers Coffee cooperative Site

This site is located around the Yirgachife town with adistance of 125kms from Hawassa &35kms from Dilla town. Here :-

• - Visiting farmers coffee gardens & coffee processing sites
• - Visiting the agro forestry activities of the farmers.

There are also very large extensive coffee plantation farms which are found in Western part of the region. These are:-

• - Bebeka in Benchimaji Zone
• - Gemadero &Tepi in Sheka Zone.

 As the land of coffee discovery, a pleasant coffee museum has built in Kaffa Zone in Bonga town which lies 450kms from AddissAbaba via Jimma town. This amazing museum will opened for visitors in very near future