Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union (YCFCU)

The Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union (YCFCU), currently represents over 43,794 farmers belonging to more than 300,000 families, and was established in June 2002. Its currently 23 member cooperatives are all located in Gedeo, southern Ethiopia. This area is in a region that is famous for coffee growing in the country.

The 62,004 hectares gardens that are dedicated to coffee alone, on average produce 9,000 tons of Yirgacheffe and 3,000 tons of Sidamo washed coffee each year. The area also produces 24,000 tons of sun-dried coffee annually.

Production systems used by YCFCU coffee farmers are ecologically sound and sustainable. Coffee is shade grown in manmade semi-forests or intercropped gardens.

Programs

School Desks for Children

The cooperative purchased 500 school desks for children of the community.

Using the social premiums from their Fair Trade certified coffees, the YCFCU coops have been able to accomplish many projects including building schools, installing electricity to benefit the residents of these remote coffee farming areas, and the construction and improvement of roads and bridges.