Nekemte, Kelem Wallaga, Ethiopia

About

This coffee is produced and harvested on the slopes of the Kuri mountain. This mountain, which rises to an altitude of 2,400 masl, is located in the Wallagga region, in the west of Ethiopia, a few kilometers from the border with Sudan. This terroir is marked by a great wealth of plants and dense forests where endemic species are still maintained. The culture of coffee, under these tree-covered canopies, is here traditional and perpetuated for several centuries. The increase in international demand has brought more importance to coffee growing, which is today an essential part of the regional economy. Ethiopian farmers maintain ancient agricultural know-how where coffee is integrated into polyculture systems, under shade, and according to organic farming.

Nekemte

This coffee is named after the town of Nekemte, located in the region of Wallagga in western Ethiopia. Situated near the Sudanese border, it is a region characterised by a rich environment where coffee has been cultivated for several centuries. Coffee was consumed first by families, then external demand grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries which ledto the development of the region’s coffee industry.
Coffees called Nekemte in the Oromo language are also called Lekempti in Amharic (the official language of Ethiopia). They are natural coffees with a fruity and spicy profile. The cherries normally have an elongated shape, hence their local name of “long berry”. The following endemic coffee varieties have been identified in this region by the Jimma research centre: Sende, Haru 1, Challa and Manasibu.

STRENGTH

Forest coffee | Peasant practices | Biodiversity | Organic farming