Overview:
- Zone: West Guji
- Region: Oromia
- Sub Region: Hambella Wamena
- Village: Benti Nenka
- Average farm size: 1.5 - 2ha
- Type: Natural and anaerobic Processing Station
- Soil: Clay minerals
The Benti Nenka Washing Station is located in the heart of Guji with a total of 500 farmers delivering red cherries from surrounding areas. Located in about 550 Km south of Addis Ababa, the Hambela Wamena woreda is home to a collection of smallholder farmers totaling 6,000 hectares of coffee. The average farm size in Guji is three hectares and producers cultivate a range of heirloom coffee varieties, including wild varietals originating from the neighbouring Harenna forest.
On this site, they work closely with small-scale coffee farmers and conduct vertical integration. They receive cherries from around 300 to 500 family-owned farmlands located at altitudes ranging from 1900 to 2300 meters above sea level. These trees owned by farmers are inside or surrounding their houses; Coffee is selectively hand-picked by the landowner and their families before being delivered to collection centers.
About the area
The Guji region receives ample rainfall and is marked by steep mountainous terrain. Perfect conditions to support the vast array of coffee are found here. Only recently have Guji coffee beans been distinguished from neighboring Sidamo and Yirgachefe producing areas. Due to their immensely good quality and unique profiles, they are quickly gaining worldwide recognition.
Farming methods in Guji remain largely traditional. Guji farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops. This method is common among small scaled farm holders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their respective families. Most farms are also traditional and organic by default.
Harvest and post-harvest
Before harvest started, farmers put special attention to preparing the field for the season by weeding, pruning/stumping and replacing the old trees with new seedlings. This year, we have purchased two washed lots from this site, but they also produce different natural lots.
Natural processing
When coffees are processed as naturals, cherries are selectively hand-picked and put on drying tables immediately after.
Washed processing
CHERRY SELECTION
Cherries are collected manually and hand sorted later. The cultivars are Welisho and Kurume.
PULPING AND PRE-GRADING
The cherries are pulped by a traditional Agaarde Discpulper. Skin and fruit pulp are removed before the machine grades the parchment in water as 1st or 2nd quality, determined by density. Wet fermentation for 48 hours
WASHING AND GRADING IN CHANNELS
Coffees are washed in channels, and graded in water by density. The lower density (lower quality) will float and are removed, leaving only the denser and therefore higher quality beans which are separated as higher grade lots.
SOAKED UNDER CLEAN WATER
After fermentation, soaking takes place for 2 hours
DRYING AND HANDSORTING
Coffee is then piled up in layers which are 2cm in height and dried over a 10 day period then followed by hand sorting for 2-4 hours
Warehousing
After drying the coffees will be packed in jute bags and stored in the local warehouse onsite, separated by process and grade. Lot sizes can vary from 100 – 300 bags. This process helps condition the coffee and achieve a more uniform humidity. They will normally be stored 1-2 months before they are moved. In some cases the parchment will be hand-sorted in the warehouse.
Logistics
After the harvest season is over the coffees are moved to warehouses and dry mills in Addis. Trucking is expensive in Ethiopia. The coffee trucks must pass a local ECX checkpoint where its contents are graded and registered as an exportable product, before it continues to Addis Ababa.
Dry milling
The coffee will sit in parchment in a warehouse in Addis. This is when our team will go to the warehouse and collect the samples from the specific stocklots. It remains in parchment until it is contracted and the destination for shipment is confirmed.
