Forest Coffee Research Articles

Spatial variation in current and historical management of Arabica coffee across forests in its indigenous distribution

Societal Impact StatementArabica coffee grows in the forests and woodlands of Ethiopia. These Arabica coffee populations contain a reservoir of the highest genetic variation of this species, which is extremely valuable from a biodiversity conservation and coffee breeding point of view. Knowledge about the distribution of these populations, including how and to what extent they have been managed by local communities now and in the past, is limited. We reveal insights into the history, distribution, and management of Arabica coffee populations in the remaining forests of Ethiopia, which is essential for developing effective conservation policies for this globally important resource.Summary To guide conservation of forest biodiversity in a broad sense, we need to understand the landscape‐level variation in current and historical management practices of agroforestry systems. We collected data on coffee management practices across a large forested landscape in Ethiopia within Arabica coffee's indigenous distribution, using interviews in 11 villages and field surveys and interviews at 78 coffee sites in the forest. There was a gradient in coffee density (higher), liana cover (lower), and canopy cover (lower) from sites with high management intensity to sites without management. Recently, management intensity has increased in the forest edges. Interviews suggest that substantial areas of currently unmanaged coffee forests are a legacy of reforestation of abandoned (semi‐) open landscapes in the late 19th century. Despite a dynamic history of coffee cultivation across these areas, the conservation of forest biodiversity, including unmanaged populations of genetically diverse Arabica coffee, should be a priority, given the few such remaining areas in Ethiopia and elsewhere in the world.

Pengelolaan Hutan Kopi dan Aren dalam Inovasi Produk Kopi Aren Rasa Wine Non Alkohol di Kecamatan Kutalimbaru, Deli Serdang

This study aims to create an innovation in coffee-based culinary products by combining two plant materials, namely coffee and sap, to produce non-alcoholic grape-flavored sap coffee that has never been produced before. The method used in this study is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques through FGD (Focus Group Discussion) with relevant stakeholders. The results of the study indicate that the coffee and sugar palm forests in the area are very productive and have great potential to support improving the welfare of farmers. In addition, the marketing model for this innovative sap coffee product is carried out offline and online, expanding the market reach. In conclusion, the innovation of non-alcoholic grape-flavored sap coffee can have a positive impact on improving the economy of coffee and sugar palm farmers in Sukamakmur Village, as well as opening up new job opportunities through productive management of natural resources. Keywords: Coffee Forest, Coffee Cultivation, Palm Coffee, Micro Business

Woody plants diversity and the associated provisioning ecosystem services across three contrasting forest management regimes in Southwest Ethiopia

Woody plants are a source of provisioning ecosystem services. Coffee management impacts forest composition, structure, and diversity. We studied the effect of coffee management intensification on woody plants and their associated provisioning ecosystem services under three contrasting forest management regimes in southwest Ethiopia. The study employed mixed approaches (vegetation assessment and ethnoecological study) to collect the data. Woody plants were collected from 189 plots and perceived local ecosystem services were identified by 136 individuals through an ethnoecological approach. The total number of woody plants recorded in the natural forest, coffee forest, and coffee agroforest was 971, 945, and 521 respectively. Species richness in natural forest, coffee forest, and coffee agroforest were 57, 54, and 53 respectively. The local people perceived 17 different provisioning ecosystem services collected from the three forest types. The result showed that there is a positive relationship between the diversity and use value of woody plants across the three forest management regimes. Coffee management intensification simplifies the stand structure, woody plant composition, and ecosystem services of the forest. Plant use value increases in coffee agroforests. Coffee agroforests can serve as repositories of diversity and ecosystem services in southwest Ethiopia.

Dynamics of land use/cover change and its drivers during 1992–2022 in Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, Southwestern Ethiopia

Dynamics of land use/cover change and its drivers during 1992–2022 in Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, Southwestern Ethiopia

Carbon Sequestration Potential of Coffee Based Agro-Forestry Systems in Nono Sale Forest, Southwest Ethiopia

The study was conducted to demonstrate empirically the carbon stocks of Coffee based agroforestry at Nono Sale District, southwestern Ethiopia. Stratify the study area into three strata based on the Species Abundance, availability of coffee and Density (Mixed Natural Forest coffee strata 51 ha, Albizia strata 34 ha and Syzygiam strata 20 ha) a total 34 nested plots 20 m × 20 m, 2 m × 2 m and 1 m × 1 m were laid in the stratum to measure the biomass of woody plants, herbaceous, and litter biomass respectively. Soil samples was collected from the upper 0-30 cm depth. The Estimation of Carbon was done by using the generic equation AGTB =0.0673 × (ρD2H)<sup>0.976</sup> and AGB = 0.147 × d40<sup>2</sup> for tree biomass and coffee respectively. The total carbon stored in the CAF in the Strata ranged from 188.54 to 232.43 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup> with a mean of 203.97 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup>. The Albizia CAF strata had significantly more carbon than natural mixed forest CAF Strata and Syzygiam CAF strata. 232.43 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup>, 232.43 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup> and 188.54 respectably. Soil carbon was found 10.32Mg ha<sup>-1</sup> in natural mixed forest CAF Strata, 9.8 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup> the Albizia CAF strata ha<sup>-1</sup> and 7.27 Syzygiam CAF strata. There was statically significant deferens at 0.1% but there is no significant effect at P< 0.05% between soil carbon stocks in the strata. On average, 75% of the carbon stored in tree biomass (above and below ground) and it is the largest carbon storage of the study area.

Mammalian community responses in relation to anthropogenic disturbances and resource gradients in the shade coffee forest ecosystem of Southwestern Ethiopia

Understanding the effects of variation in resource availability and habitat disturbance on the ecology of mammals is vital for successful conservation management. In this study, we examined how human disturbances, resource availability and elevation gradients influence mammal assemblages in both managed coffee forest and natural forest of the Belete-Gera National Forest Priority Area, southwestern Ethiopia. We surveyed mammals using motion-detecting infrared camera traps in 90 locations for a total of 4142 camera days. We measured distance from main roads and settlements as disturbance factors, and distance from water sources, key grazing sites, and forest edges and woody plant diversity as resource variables. We assessed the mammal assemblages in coffee forest and natural forests using generalized linear models. Further, we used linear modelling to compare the relationships of mammal detection rates by feeding guilds and body size to resource variables. In total, we recorded 8815 videos identifying 23 different mammal species. The mammal assemblages in coffee forests were negatively associated with increasing distances from key grazing sites, water sources, and elevation. In contrast, the association with increasing distance from the road and woody plant diversity was positive. In addition, herbivores and large (25–200 kg) and very large (≥200 kg) mammals, were all negatively associated with increasing distance from the natural forest edges. With the conversion of natural forest to coffee forest and the intensification of coffee forest management, sustainable management of key grazing sites, water sources, and diverse woody plant species will be essential to the conservation of mammals. In addition, to ensure mammal conservation, adjacent natural forests around coffee forests should also be protected.

Actinomycetes isolated from rhizosphere of wild Coffea arabica L. showed strong biocontrol activities against coffee wilt disease.

Coffee, the second most traded commodity globally after petroleum and is the most exported cash crop of Ethiopia. However, coffee cultivation faces challenges due to fungal diseases, resulting in significant yield losses. The primary fungal diseases affecting coffee production include coffee berry disease, wilt disease (caused by Gibberella xylarioides), and coffee leaf rust. In this study, we aimed to isolate potentially antagonistic actinomycetes from the root rhizosphere of wild Coffea arabica plants in the Yayo coffee forest biosphere in southwestern Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere, and actinomycetes were selectively isolated and identified to the genus level by morphological, physiological, and biochemical characterization. These pure isolates were screened for their antagonistic activity against Gibberella xylarioides in vitro using a dual culturing method. Promising isolates demonstrating strong inhibition of fungal mycelial growth were further investigated through in vivo experiments using coffee seedlings. A total of 82 rhizobacteria were isolated. These isolates' inhibition of fungal mycelial growth varied from 0% to 83.3%. Among them, four isolates MUA26, MUA13, MUA52, and MUA14 demonstrated the highest percentage inhibition of fungal mycelial growth: 83.3%, 80%, 76.67%, and 73.3%, respectively. Seedlings inoculated with MUA13, MUA14, and MUA26 during the challenge inoculations (Rhizobacteria + Gibberella xylarioides) exhibited the lowest disease incidence compared to the infected fungi (P < 0.05). Notably, the seedlings inoculated with MUA26 demonstrated the highest disease control efficiency, reaching 83% (P < 0.05). MUA26 was found to produce extracellular enzymes, including chitinase, protease, and lipase, which acted as inhibitors. In summary, this study highlights that MUA26, among the actinomycete isolates, exhibited significant antagonistic activity against Gibberella xylarioides f.sp. coffea. Its efficacy in controlling coffee wilt disease, both in vitro and in vivo, positions it as a potential bioinoculant for managing coffee wilt disease.

Functional diversity along disturbance and environmental gradients in Ethiopian moist Afromontane forest

Considering multiple measures to fully capture functional diversity is important. However, the effects of disturbance gradients on diversity have been controversial, as species diversity alone may not fully capture these effects. This study aimed to evaluate trait-based diversity across disturbance gradients in the moist Afromontane forest of Ethiopia, Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve (YCFBR). Vegetation data and relevant traits related to plant-life strategies, competition, and responses to disturbances were collected. A multiple regression model was used to test the response of functional diversity to disturbances and environmental gradients. The results revealed functional diversity in plant communities, including dendrogram-based functional diversity for plot-based (FDp), functional richness (FRic), functional evenness (FEve), functional divergence (FDiv), functional dispersions (FDis), and community-weighted mean of maximum tree height (CWM.Hmax), showed decreasing patterns with increasing disturbance intensity in the YCFBR. Additionally, the findings highlighted that FDis and Hmax are the most vulnerable functional traits to anthropogenic factors and are less tolerant in disturbed ecosystem environments. Therefore, reducing disturbances is crucial to maintaining higher levels of these functional diversities. For example, the results showed that the CWM.Hmax declined from 27.25 m to 15 m, indicating a shift towards shorter plant species. In contrast, the community-weighted mean of woody density (CWM.WD), the community-weighted mean of specific leaf area (CWM.SLA), and the community-weighted mean of seed mass (CWM.SM) increased significantly with an increase in disturbance intensity. For instance, CWM.SM and CWM.SLA changed from 5 to 14.25 (g) and 90 to 130 (cm2/g), respectively. These indices may serve as indicators of ecosystem resilience at disturbed forest ecosystem sites. Furthermore, the regression results indicated that FDp, FRic, FEve, FDiv, FDis, CWM.WD, and CWM.Hmax showed increasing patterns with increasing species richness, which suggests that protecting and promoting species diversity can contribute to maintaining high levels of functional diversity. The mixed effects model revealed that anthropogenic disturbance and elevational gradients had significant effects on functional diversity in the YCFBR. Therefore, when managing and conserving biodiversity in heterogeneous environments, both anthropogenic factors and environmental variables need to be considered. Species with low SLA and SM are recommended for the restoration of disturbed ecosystems. Overall, this study demonstrates that trait-based functional diversity is useful for predicting the adaptation potentials of species in heterogeneous environments and disturbance gradients.

Staging the New City: Urban spectacles and the ecological origins of Nayib Bukele's authoritarian populism

AbstractThis paper analyzes the connections between real estate speculation and authoritarian populism in El Salvador. Focusing on president Nayib Bukele's term as mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán (2012–2015), I examine the role speculative urbanism played in the crafting of his profile as a promising politician in the early years of his career. I trace how Bukele instrumentalized the ecosystem of Nuevo Cuscatlán's coffee forest as a means to fund a personalistic populist strategy whose main project called for the construction of a “New City.” This project involved the lifting of barriers to real estate investment to raise funds for social programs and municipal infrastructure. Its flipside was an aggressive process of deforestation and displacement of rural populations. Drawing on urban political ecology and critical agrarian studies, I argue that Bukele's New City project constituted a type of urban spectacle. This urban spectacle was rooted in two socio‐ecological dynamics: (1) The use of land as a revenue‐raising token of exchange; and (2) The fetishization of urban water infrastructure in the context of water scarcity. The paper concludes with various considerations about the destructive force of the link between authoritarian populism and urban extractivism in rural environments.

Potential impact of future land use/cover dynamics on the habitat quality of the Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, southwestern Ethiopia

Human activities, including agricultural expansion, urbanization, and industrial advancement, have led to land use/cover change (LULCC). These changes have had negative consequences, such as the loss of species and the degradation of forest areas. The Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve (YCFBR) is undergoing changes due to forest fires and encroachment from coffee plantations, which are predicted to increase in the future. The objective of this study was to simulate the dynamics of LULCC and its impact on habitat quality in the area over the next three decades. The study used classified land cover (LC) maps of 1992, 2022, and 2052 (predicted), as well as factor and constraint maps of the area. In addition, household surveys, key informant interviews (KII), and focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted to understand the factors influencing changes in habitat quality. Habitat quality was simulated under three different future scenarios (Business as Usual; S1), conservation scenario (S2), and development scenario (S3) using CA-Markov, Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS), and Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services Tradeoffs (InVEST) models. The result showed a 28% increase in open forest and a 35% increase in agricultural area under S1, with a minimal increase in built-up area. The medium-level habitat quality increased from 11.3% in 1992 to 27.8% in 2052 S3. The highest average haitat quality value was 0.62 in S2, while the lowest was 0.51 in S3. If S3 is the case, this value is expected to fall below 40%, indicating the lowest possible level of habitat quality in the future. The model also predicts a 7% increase in high forest areas in S2, indicating the possibility of an alternative path to save high forest loss in the area. The main causes of habitat quality deterioration include population growth, agricultural land expansion, a lack of diverse incomes, land tenure issues, and settlement expansion. Based on the findings, S2 appears to be the best future scenario for maintaining habitat quality. This study provides useful information that will help planners and decision-makers effectively prepare future conservation strategies.

Rasagalor Coffee Education Tourist Attraction Design based on Halal Tourism in Mekarmanik Village, Bandung Regency

The halal tourism concept is a contemporary tourism development concept that is currently implemented around the world. Halal tourism does not only relate to producing halal products, but also every other aspect of Islamic beliefs, including developing domains that support Islamic activities. This article aims to explore designs for tourist attractions based on the halal tourism concept. The research will take place in Mekarmanik Village, Cimenyan District, Bandung Regency. The location experiences three major issues, which are farmers’ mindset who prefers selling straight to wholesalers for low prices compared to further processing products for higher prices; forest land and coffee vegetation utilization for educational objects; and integration of potential colonial sites to increase local community livelihood. Therefore, the design will aim to include means that could help increase the local community’s knowledge through site planning and 3D designs of a product processing room, product marketing storefront, coffee forest educational hiking trail, and dan colonial coffee garden educational room. Required data will be gathered from literature studies, field observations, and focus group discussions (FGDs). Afterward, collected data will be analyzed using design elements needs analysis and functional relations analysis. Later, design results may bring solutions that would be able to increase local farmers’ and community livelihoods.&#x0D; Keywords: halal tourism, mekarmanik, design, educational area, rasagalor coffee

Association of gender-related factors and household food security in southwest Oromia, Ethiopia: evidence from a cross-sectional study

BackgroundFood insecurity is a major concern across Ethiopia and a long-standing public health problem. Vulnerability to food insecurity varies by several individual and household factors; however, understanding the role of gender-related factors can serve as additional input for designing policy and interventions. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve in southwest Oromia, Ethiopia as part of a baseline assessment for the My Forest, My Livelihood, My Family program. A total of 1.113 households were selected from six woredas (districts) using a two-stage sampling procedure. The outcome variable was measured using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, version 3. The association between gender-related factors and household food security was assessed by fitting a logistic regression.ResultsThe prevalence of food insecurity was 62.4%, with 28.1% of households assessed as severely food insecure. Households with both the wife and husband making decisions about major purchases were associated with an increased odds of household food security (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.44, confidence interval [CI] 1.06, 1.96). The odds increased when the woman alone made these decisions (AOR 2.15, CI 1.20, 3.85). Women’s formal education was also associated with increased odds of household food security.ConclusionsThis study adds evidence that policy and programmatic interventions that improve the agency of women to participate in asset ownership and household economic decision making, expand female literacy and education, and diversify income sources to include off-farm wage employment in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve are important steps for improving household food security.

Analysis of Caffeine and Antioxidant Content of Ethiopian Coffee Varieties from Different Growing Areas

Quality coffee consumption is increasing nowadays; however, quality can only be achieved through appropriate cultivation and processing techniques. The study is aimed at using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometric techniques for evaluating different coffee varieties grown in Ethiopia based on caffeine, antioxidant, and polyphenol content. Despite coming from various coffee-growing regions, all of the tested coffee varieties (heirloom, forest coffee, heirloom 2, bourbon, mixed heirloom, and catuai) underwent wet processing. The data revealed that the caffeine content ranged from 0.14 to 0.37 mg/g, total antioxidant content from 63.75 to 78.05 mg AAE/g, and total polyphenol content from 27.08 to 31.04 mg GAE/g in the selected varieties. The findings show that the amount of the identified compounds is significantly ( p ≤ 0.05 ) influenced by the variety type, growing area, and processing (intensity of roasting). The different coffee varieties were also tested for sensory quality, and the findings suggest that the typical coffee drinker prefers fruity flavors in their coffee, along with medium acidity and roasting intensity levels. The cultivation and processing technologies used in coffee production have a significant impact on the quality and sensory enjoyment of coffee.

Simulation of land use/cover dynamics in the Yayo coffee Forest biosphere reserve, southwestern Ethiopia

Successful implementation of natural resource planning and land management systems requires understanding of how land use and land cover (LULC) have changed in the past and how they will change in the future, taking into account both space and time. The Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve (YCFBR), in southwestern Ethiopia, is currently experiencing the consequences of different human actions such as wildfires and the expansion of coffee plantations. Although the Biosphere Reserve (BR) has undergone significant changes and efforts since it was registered by UNESCO in 2010 as a high biodiversity area of international importance, there is still a lack of information about the anticipated changes in LULC in the future. The primary aim of the study is to simulate the potential changes in LULC in the YCFBR area for the upcoming three decades. In this study, we utilized Landsat satellite imagery taken in 1992, 2007, and 2022 for analysis. The findings suggest that the agricultural area is expected to grow from 20.3% in 2022 to 24% in 2052, while the proportion of open forest is predicted to rise from 13.4% in 2022 to 18% in 2052. In addition, there is an anticipated decrease in both high forest and grazing lands. High forest is expected to decline from 50.1% in 2022 to 40% in 2052, while grazing lands are projected to decrease from 8.3% in 2022 to 6% in 2052. Thus, the study revealed a significant shift of grazing land to agriculture and high forest to more open forest types. We recommend a proper land use zoning to prevent further loss of the forest cover due to human activities and also restore the degraded parts of the area.

Genetic diversity of ex-situ conserved Arabica cofee (Coffea arabica L.) accessions in Ethiopia as revealed by simple sequence repeats markers

So far, there has been limited use of molecular markers in arabica coffee breeding program in Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were to explore the effectiveness of simple sequence repeats markers (SSRs) in detecting polymor- phism and to assess the extent of genetic diversity and relationships among ex-situconserved Arabica coffee accessions. Sixty-two forest coffee accessions planted in the experimental plot of the Ethiopian coffee breeding program were evaluated using 14 SSR markers. These markers amplified a total of 100 alleles, varying from four to ten alleles per locus, with an average of 7.2 across all loci. The rate of polymorphism ranged from 75 to 100, with a mean value of 96.4 across the accessions. The polymorphic information content (PIC) varied from 0.26 to 0.92, with a mean value of 0.70. The genetic similarity coefficient values between 72% possible pair-wise combinations ranged from 0.18 to 0.50, with overall mean value of 0.44.The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram based on Jaccard’s genetic similarity grouped the accessions into five main clusters and two singletons at &lt;0.47 similarity coefficient value. These results indicate the effectiveness of the SSR markers in detecting polymorphism and the presence of a high level of genetic diversity and distant relatedness among the studied coffee accessions. The observed diversity could be exploited in the future coffee breeding program to develop heterotic hybrid coffee varieties through crossing of divergent parental lines. The highly informative SSRs markers can be also used in genetic analysis of Arabica coffee germplasm conserved in the field gene bank at Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) to establish core collections for effective conservation, management and utilization purposes

Determinates of participation in collective action of forest coffee management in Kafa zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Growing pressure on Sub-Saharan Africa's forest resources and their associated unwise use is attracting both scientific and policy concerns. Coffee forests are important natural resource settings exhibiting sustainability challenges related to governance, usage, and management. Collective management action measures, that center on the local community has been proposed to produce sustainable forests and forest communities through a more integrated, holistic approach to resource governance. This study was conducted to analyze participation in collective action of forest coffee management in Kafa Zone, Southwest Ethiopia where data were collected from 164 farmers using multistage sampling and analyzed by probit model. The coffee production experience, extension visits frequency, household education, off-income, market information, and boundary of users affect participation in collective action. Therefore, formulating accepted rules and regulations for forest coffee management, improving the frequency of farmers' extension visits, and increasing awareness of the negative consequences of forest coffee degradation among farmers enhance the chance of farmers' participation in collective action. Additionally, institutions related to defined boundaries of users had a positive outcome revealing establishments of boundaries that encourage local communities to have the right to enter, manage the resources, and have user exclusivity in forest coffee. The findings of the study show that market information influences participation in collective action. Increasing access to market information on the price and demand of forest coffee increase farmers' participation in collective action.

Genetic diversity and structure of the coffee leaf rust fungus Hemileia vastatrix across different coffee management systems in Ethiopia.

Although coffee leaf rust (CLR), caused by Hemileia vastatrix, poses an increasing threat to coffee production in Ethiopia, little is known regarding its genetic diversity and structure and how these are affected by coffee management. Here, we used genetic fingerprinting based on sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers to genotype H. vastatrix samples from different coffee shrubs, across 40 sites, covering four coffee production systems (forest coffee, semi plantation coffee, home garden coffee, and plantation coffee) and different altitudes in Ethiopia. In total, 96 H. vastatrix samples were successfully genotyped with three primer combinations, producing a total of 79 scorable bands. We found 35.44% of amplified bands to be polymorphic, and the polymorphic information content (PIC) was 0.45, suggesting high genetic diversity among our CLR isolates. We also found significant isolation-by-distance across the samples investigated and detected significant differences in fungal genetic composition among plantation coffee and home garden coffee and a marginally significant difference among plantation coffee and forest coffee. Furthermore, we found a significant effect of altitude on CLR genetic composition in the forest coffee and plantation systems. Our results suggest that both spore dispersal and different selection pressures in the different coffee management systems are likely responsible for the observed high genetic diversity and genetic structure of CLR isolates in Ethiopia. When selecting Ethiopian coffee genotypes for crop improvement, it is important that these genotypes carry some resistance against CLR. Because our study shows large variation in genetic composition across relatively short geographical distances, a broad selection of rust isolates must be used for coffee resistance screening.

Challenges in conserving forest ecosystems through coffee certification: a case study from southwestern Ethiopia

Certification schemes, aimed at simultaneously promoting ecologically sustainable agriculture and improving livelihood, are being utilized at a global scale. Among such certification schemes, the Rainforest Alliance is known as one of the most widely used environmental certification programs throughout the world. Previous studies have compared the ecological impacts of certified and non-certified farmlands, or evaluated the economic outcomes of certification. However, few studies have assessed the long-term impacts of the certification scheme. This paper attempts to analyze the long-term outcomes of the Rainforest Alliance certification program through a case study of coffee farming practices in southwestern Ethiopia. We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with key informants who were deeply involved in the certification program, together with field observations and secondary data collection. The results of the assessment indicated that some areas of the certified coffee forests have been deforested or ecologically degraded and that the Rainforest Alliance program requirements were not uniformly applied. The possible causes include rapid population increase, government policies promoting intensive coffee production, presence of members who did not participate in the certification program, a lack of conservation incentives, and loopholes in the auditing process. To determine the overall success of the Rainforest Alliance certification program would require: monitoring of population growth rates and providing alternative livelihood opportunities, promoting collaboration between environmental and agricultural government authorities, conducting a more stringent on-site inspection, and to provide direct incentives for environmental conservation to all farmers living in or near the certified areas.

Coffee Management Intensification Has Changed the Tradition of Coffee Forest Use in Southwest Ethiopia

The coffee production system has changed the notion of a forest common resources pool in southwest Ethiopia. It is weakening the customary right on forest through time. The objective of the study was to explore forest resources use in relation to coffee management intensity in southwest Ethiopia. The effect of coffee management intensification was narrated based on the nature of accessing forest resources, local control system, level of forest dependency, and nontimber forest products usage through time. Qualitative data were collected through an interview and walk-in-the-woods. It is worth mentioning that an age-old customary right is devolved, and a modified forest management arrangement is emerging along with the coffee production system. The result showed that coffee agroforest drives the use of forest resources in southwest Ethiopia. Coffee production is replacing the tradition of forest management for nontimber forest products. Collection of nontimber forest products is overwhelmed with coffee harvesting. Honey production area (i.e., Luggoo) has been changed to coffee plot. Only coffee owners hold the right to access coffee agroforest. Individual decisions are bypassing the social arrangement of forest resources usage. The nature and level of forest dependency have been changed along with the intensification of coffee management. In contrary to what most people believe, the study findings showed that better-off households are more forest dependent compared to poor households due to coffee production. The storyline depicts the need for taking into account coffee agroforest in sustainable forest management. The study suggests to revisit the notion of recognizing traditional forest resource usage brings sustainable forest management.

‘The human shield effect’: Human-wildlife co-occurrence patterns in the coffee forests of southwestern Ethiopia

Understanding species (co)-occurrence patterns and how these are affected and mediated by humans is essential for the development of management plans to guide coexistence between humans and wildlife. Here, we evaluated two opposing hypotheses regarding the effects of humans on species occurrence: “humans as super-predators” and “humans as shield”, using an existing camera-trap dataset of mammal species occurrence collected in the coffee forests of southwestern of Ethiopia. We applied a multispecies occupancy modelling framework to explicitly examine co-occurrence patterns between humans, top-predators, prey, and crop-raiders, along a gradient of forest integrity (characterized by forest cover and fragmentation). We examined co-occurrence patterns during both coffee and non-coffee harvest seasons. Our results show partial support for the “humans as shield” hypothesis. We found (i) signs of co-occurrence between humans and prey in areas of low forest integrity during both survey seasons, and between humans and raiders during the coffee-season, (ii) signs of co-occurrence between prey and raiders during both seasons, (iii) no signs of negative or positive co-occurrence between humans and top-predators. Our findings indicate that a possible “shield effect” between humans and prey within a predator space, might be undergoing at the edges of coffee forests. Our findings suggest that incorporating humans as one more species in the ecological system can contribute to shed light into the effects of humans on species occurrence and ultimately contribute to inform management for coexistence.