at the Center for
Development Research (ZEF)
University of Bonn
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Last updated: November 17, 2008
Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica, Rubiaceae) originates from the Ethiopian highlands and the Ethiopian Province Kaffa gave its name to it. In Ethiopia we can find the center of diversity of Coffea arabica. Wild populations of Coffea arabica grow naturally in the undergrowth of the montane rainforests in southwest Ethiopia at altitudes between 1,400 and 1,900 meters.
The existence of the wild coffee populations of Arabica coffee in the montane rainforests of Ethiopia is highly threatened by settlement and land-use pressure. This development is alarming, as, on the one hand, coffee production and consumption is of considerable economic and social importance to Ethiopia. On the other hand, the destruction of the montane rainforests leads to the loss of the natural genetic diversity of Coffea arabica. The genetic erosion of its gene pool is irreversible, leading to high consequential costs also for international coffee breeding and production.
Coffee is by far Ethiopia's most important export crop (32% are exported to Germany) and, with 40-60%, contributes decisively to the country's foreign currency income. Based on the current coffee crisis, Ethiopia's exports from coffee decreased from over US$ 250 million in 1999/2000 to less than US$ 150 million in 2000/2001. 96% of the Ethiopian coffee is produced in traditional coffee production systems of which a significant share is threatened through the coffee crisis.
As this research project aims at the conservation and use of Coffea arabica in it's natural habitat and also in the traditional forest coffee systems, the objectives the concepts-to-be include:
The in-situ conservation of the genetic coffee resources thus offers an interesting approach in biodiversity research: the conservation of genetic diversity in connection with the conservation of species and ecosystem diversity.
The investigation of wild coffee populations in their comprehensive biodiversity context calls for an approach that considers natural sciences, economics and social sciences as well as biological and ecosystem cause-effect chains. Only a transdisciplinary research approach allows the development of conservation and use concepts that are ecologically sustainable, economically efficient and at the same time socially acceptable.
Subproject 2
Phytomedical studies supporting conservation efforts in wild coffee populations of Ethiopia
Subproject 3
Ecophysiological and quality studies supporting conservation efforts in wild coffee populations of Ethiopia
Subproject 4
Identification of coffee forest areas and their documentation by means of a coffee forest atlas for Ethiopia
Subproject 5
Incentive and financing mechanisms for coffee forest conservation and use in Ethiopia