Forest Coffee Research Articles

Approaches for the Prediction of Leaf Wetness Duration with Machine Learning.

The prediction of leaf wetness duration (LWD) is an issue of interest for disease prevention in coffee plantations, forests, and other crops. This study analyzed different LWD prediction approaches using machine learning and meteorological and temporal variables as the models’ input. The information was collected through meteorological stations placed in coffee plantations in six different regions of Costa Rica, and the leaf wetness duration was measured by sensors installed in the same regions. The best prediction models had a mean absolute error of around 60 min per day. Our results demonstrate that for LWD modeling, it is not convenient to aggregate records at a daily level. The model performance was better when the records were collected at intervals of 15 min instead of 30 min.

Comparative study of rodents and insectivores in natural and coffee forest habitats of Afalo Area, Gera district, Southwestern Ethiopia

The Comparative study on the diversity, distribution and abundance of rodents and insectivores in natural and coffee forest habitats of Afalo area of Gera district was conducted from August, 2014 to March, 2015. Two sites (coffee forest and natural forest) were identified and employed for the study purpose. Grids were established and representative sample sites were taken from randomly selected of each of the habitat types. Then, the species were sampled by setting traps on randomly selected grids. The specimens of the study animals were trapped by using snap traps and Sherman live traps and identified to the specie level. Skin and skull of some representative specimens were mounted and used for identification of animals in the laboratory. During the present study about 110 individuals were captured, among these, 5 species were rodents and 3 of them were shrews species. Of the total trapped species, Lophuromys flavopunctatus were the most abundant one 35(49.3%), followed by Grammomys dolichuros, and Lophuromys chrysopus 23(47.5%) and 16(29.7%) respectively. Rattus rattus, Mus musculus, Crocidura flavescens, Crocidura fumosa and Crocidura bicolor had 22.2%, 20.7%, 13.3%, 10.7% and 1.4% respectively. Hystrix cristata and Paraxerus ochraceus had the lowest relative abundance (1.4%) each. Hystrix cristata and Paraxerus ochraceus were recorded only from NF habitat. The species abundances were varies with habitats and seasons. There were significant differences in the abundance of rodent and insectivore among the seasons (x2= 2.11, df =1, P

The Unexplored Socio-Cultural Benefits of Coffee Plants: Implications for the Sustainable Management of Ethiopia’s Coffee Forests

Coffee is among the most popular commodity crops around the globe and supports the livelihoods of millions of households along its value chain. Historically, the broader understanding of the roles of coffee has been limited to its commercial value, which largely is derived from coffee, the drink. This study, using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, explores some of the unrevealed socio-cultural services of coffee of which many people are not aware. The study was conducted in Gomma district, Jimma Zone, Oromia National Regional state, Ethiopia, where arabica coffee was first discovered in its natural habitat. Relying on a case study approach, our study uses ethnographic study methods whereby results are presented from the communities’ perspectives and the subsequent discussions with the communities on how the community perspectives could help to better manage coffee ecosystems. Coffee’s utilities and symbolic functions are numerous—food and drink, commodity crop, religious object, communication medium, heritage and inheritance. Most of the socio-cultural services are not widely known, and hence are not part of the benefits accounting of coffee systems. Understanding and including such socio-cultural benefits into the wider benefits of coffee systems could help in promoting improved management of the Ethiopian coffee forests that are the natural gene pools of this highly valuable crop.

Predicting the impacts of human population growth on forest mammals in the highlands of southwestern Ethiopia

Projections of human population growth for 2050 indicate that Africa is expected to steadily increase its rural population, raising questions on how to best accommodate people while minimizing impacts on biodiversity. We explored the outcomes of scenarios of rural population growth mediated by housing development. We designed our scenarios based on (i) patterns of housing development (i.e., housing densification versus expansion), (ii) level of human population growth, and (iii) forest protection. Using camera traps, we surveyed mammals in the moist Afromontane forests of southwestern Ethiopia. We modelled mammals' responses to current and alternative housing development trajectories, using generalized additive mixed models. Our results suggest that (i) rural population growth is likely to negatively influence several mammal species, including a threatened predator (the leopard) as well as common crop raiding species such as baboons; (ii) negative impacts of population growth are likely to be exacerbated if new housing encroaches the forest (i.e., expansion), and likely to be less detrimental if houses are built within the existing human footprint (i.e., densification); and (iii) effects of human population growth can be modified by land-use decisions unrelated to biodiversity conservation, such as protection of economically important forest cover (native coffee forest in our study area). The location, extent and magnitude of housing development in southwestern Ethiopia can limit the ability of several mammal species to persist in the landscape. Our findings suggest that incorporating the ecological effects of housing development into landscape planning is fundamental to align conservation goals with development plans.

Effects of Quality Coffee Production by Smallholders on Local Land Use and Land Cover in Yirgacheffe, Southern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The objectives of the study are to identify LULC types that have undergone changes due to quality coffee production and assess smallholders’ perceptions of the LULC changes associated with their coffee production practices in Yirgacheffe coffee area, southern Ethiopia. The study used Landsat satellite images of 1988, 2003, and 2018 to examine the LULC change. In addition, household surveys and focus group discussions were carried out to assess land management practices in the study area. The findings show that forest coffee (FC) cover decreased at a rate of 1.02% per year in the 30-year time, which was mostly changed to semi-forest and semi-plantation coffee cover. The study area has also experienced an increase in semi-plantation cover (0.07% per year), semi-forest coffee (0.9% per year) over the study period, showing a gradual decrease in vegetation cover. This also suggests that a major driving force for the local LULC change is the increasing demand for coffee in the global and national market, as evident from the increasing trend of coffee export from Ethiopia. Survey data show that quality coffee production drives coffee agroforest conversion while it has potitive effects on land management practices by smallholders. Reducing the current heavy dependence of livelihoods on coffee as the single most important commodity is likely to enhance sustainability of the coffee agroforests in the area.

Role of forest provisioning services to local livelihoods: based on relative forest income (RFI) approach in southwest Ethiopia coffee forest

BackgroundThis study provides empirical evidence, for the contribution of forest provisioning ecosystem services to the local communities done on the Afromontum rainforest of southwest Ethiopia which is endowed with many Fauna and Flora. The study may give some representative evidence for policy-maker on behalf of conservation of the area.MethodologyThis study was done with the approach of focus group discussion and in-depth interviews of the rural community in southwest Ethiopia coffee forest. The role of forest provisioning services analysis was made by relative forest income (RFI) procedure based on the stratification category of the local ethnics and newcomers.ResultsThe overall result indicated that seventeen forest provisioning services collected by the community from natural forest, however income were varied in relation to demographic features, the income from forest for local communities shown too high to which contributes 90.85% of the total income and have a long history of the link between this livelihood and forest. While forest also provides a considerable income for the new resettled community coming from elsewhere in the area but we observed non- forest income were the main source of revenue for this community.ConclusionsThe traditional and the indigenous communities used for access to a finite resource and considered the resource harvested from the forest are the central part of their economy and the relationships between forests and people’s livelihoods particularly for this remote community were complementary. Then planning should take into conceder, in policy perceptive, for supporting this remote community for livelihood improvement and conservation of this natural forest.

Leafy Vegetables under Shade? Performance, Consumer Acceptance, and Nutritional Contribution of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) Leaves in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve in Southwest Ethiopia

In rural Ethiopia, people consume mainly cereals and pulses. Integrating vegetables into the multi-storey cropping system of the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve could improve nutritional health while reducing pressure on natural habitats in the biodiversity hotspot. The aim of the study was to assess the performance of cowpea under shade and its consumer acceptance as leafy vegetables. Trials compared continuous harvesting with uprooting, and food preference was tested. A baseline survey was conducted in four villages and revealed that cropping of vegetables in coffee plantations would be adoptable by 17% of farmers. The cumulatively harvested mean leaf yield (18.15 t ha−1) was significantly higher than the leaf yield of the uprooted cowpea (6.56 t ha−1). As many as 41% (52%) of participants liked cowpea dishes (very much). Based on the trial yields and the RDA, a 25 m2 cowpea plot could produce sufficient vitamin A for 2.1–4.6 adults, iron for 0.8–1.7, and vitamin C for 1.3–2.9 adults during six months. Cowpea was successfully cultivated below coffee, yielded most when repeatedly harvested and showed a high acceptance among consumers. The consumption of cowpea leaves from coffee forests could contribute to a balanced diet and improved nutrition.

Pattern of crop raiding by wild large mammals and the resultant impacts vary with distances from forests in Southwest Ethiopia.

Crop raiding is a major form of human‐wildlife interaction mainly in the ecotone areas of human‐modified natural landscapes. The aim of this study was to examine the spatial pattern of crop raiding and the resultant impacts on how farmers perceive forests at different distances from Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve which is located in southwest Ethiopia. For this, thirty transects (each 1 km long) were laid out at 200 m interval parallel to forest edges: ten transects close to forest (<0.5 km), ten at intermediate (0.5–1 km), and ten transects were taken far from forest (>1 km). Along each transect, 2–6 households were randomly selected and interviewed using semistructured questionnaire. The perception of the respondents on forests at different distances from forest edges was analyzed using Pearson's Chi‐square test. The variation in the amount of damage among these three locations was tested using one‐way ANOVA. Four wild large mammals including olive baboon, vervet monkey, bush pigs, and crested porcupine were identified as top crop raiders in the area. The frequencies of occurrence of crop raiders decreased with increasing distance from forest edges. Similarly, the amount of damage in maize fields was higher close to forests when compared with that of either at intermediate or far from forest edges (p < .001). Eighty‐one percent of the households living close to the forests perceive that forest is a threat to their survival. Overall, our results imply that strategies need to be sought in order to minimize the socio‐ecological impacts of crop raiders mainly in locations close to forest edges.

The potential for income improvement and biodiversity conservation via specialty coffee in Ethiopia.

The specialty coffee sector represents opportunities for coffee farmers and other actors due to increased value within the supply chain, driven by elevated consumer purchase prices. We investigated these relationships up to the export stage, as well as the potential for specialty coffee to improve stakeholder participation in biodiversity conservation. Household data was collected from a sample of 272 coffee farmers belonging to five primary cooperatives, in the heavily forested area of Yayu, in the Illubabor administrative zone of Oromia regional state in south-western Ethiopia, for the 2017/2018 harvest season. Qualitative and quantitative data, gathered between 2015 and 2019, from focus group discussions, was used to supplement the survey and to explain the empirical findings. We show that the income from coffee (and thus household income) can be increased, in some cases substantially, via participation in the specialty coffee market. The unit price for coffee was much higher than standard market prices and those including certification premiums. Whilst quality is a key factor for specialty coffee, income increases via the specialty market are caveat bound. In particular, there is a critical requirement for efficient and effective cooperative management, and we provide suggestions for improvements. In the long-term, more focus is needed to increase the financial and human capacities of Ethiopian coffee cooperatives, to make them more effective partners in the specialty coffee value chain. The high conversion rates from harvested to clean exportable specialty coffee (8:1, or higher) is identified as a major constraint on profitability. We show that specialty coffee can bring about positive environmental benefits. Elevating coffee prices and farm profitability to bring household income levels to around or above the global poverty line may ensure the continuation of forest coffee production, and thus the retention of forest. The increases in income via specialty coffee production, reported in the study, were achieved without increasing land use or the application of environmentally costly inputs. Moreover, analysis of satellite data shows that a large proportion of the coffee farms surveyed retain a level of forest cover and quality approaching primary (undisturbed) forest, and that the coffee production area at Yayu has not experienced any significant deforestation (since 2000). We recommend that coffee premiums linked to environmental benefit should demonstrate clearly defined and appropriate metrics, as we have demonstrated here for forest (canopy) quality and coverage (area).

Review on Coffee Production and Quality in Ethiopia

Coffee is one of the world's most significant agricultural commodities. Ethiopia is the origin of Arabica coffee (<i>Coffea arabica L.)</i> and contains a diverse genetic pool. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of Ethiopian coffee production, production systems, and quality. Coffee production is critical to the Ethiopian economy, with around a quarter of the people relying on it directly or indirectly for survival. Ethiopia's main product, coffee, is the country's economic backbone. Ethiopian coffee output is between 400,000 and 550,000 metric tons per year, depending on weather and soil conditions. Coffee, Ethiopia's principal export, is the country's economic backbone with the majority growing in the country's south, southwest, and east. Ethiopia has four techniques of coffee production: forest coffee, semi-forest coffee, and forest coffee. Coffee quality is a yardstick for the coffee industry. Despite good climatic conditions and a diverse range of indigenous coffee cultivars, coffee quality has been dropping owing to a variety of inadequate pre-and post-harvest methods. Despite ideal climatic conditions and a diverse range of indigenous coffee kinds for quality development, coffee quality has been deteriorating owing to a variety of inadequate pre-and post-harvest practices. Lack of competitiveness, infrastructure, proper access to services, insufficient value addition, effective knowledge transfer and research, competitiveness, and unpredictability of rainfall are all major challenges to Ethiopian coffee production, and coffee marketing, pricing instability, and restricted market access have all been cited as major concerns. Enhancing infrastructure and institutional facilities, as well as upgrading coffee manufacturing techniques that include the introduction of new coffee varieties. As a result, enhancing coffee quality required the use of proper agronomic and climatic conditions, as well as the adoption of proven crop varieties.

Documentation of Traditional Knowledge on “Coffee” (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Coffea arabica&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;) in Jimma, Ilubabor and West Wollega Zone

Coffee, of genus Coffea, is a member of Rubiaceae family that consists of more than 400 species and is mostly grown in the tropical and subtropical regions. The major coffee production systems include forest, semi-forest, garden and plantations. Coffee is intercropped with other companion crops or leguminous shade trees as low-cost production options to diversify food and cash security. Rainfall is the most important factor governing the distribution of coffee farming and wild coffee forests in Ethiopia. The distribution of rainfall varies greatly across Ethiopia, according to season, altitude and physical features of the landscape. Coffee is made from coffee bean and known to have the properties of keeping drinkers alert and awake. The use of coffee leaves to make tea has long been a tradition in West Sumatera, Ethiopia, Jamaica, India, Java and South Sudan. The main objective of this study is to document the traditional knowledge of people on “Coffee” (Coffea arabica) in Jimma, Ilubabor and West Wollega Zone. This study was conducted in Jimma, Elubabor and West Wollega Zone from January - November, 2019. Multistage sampling technique was employed to collect traditional knowledge of people on Coffea arabica. Primary data were collected from the respondents by distributing questionnaires and focus group discussion. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS (statistical package for social sciences). The result of the study indicates that: the type of land preferred for the production of Coffeaarabica was semi forest whereas the most preferable soil was sand soil. The type of land preferred for the production of Coffeaarabica was semi forest whereas the most preferable soil was sand soil. Summer and spring were preferable seasons by the farmers of the study area for coffee production. Cordia Africana, Croton macrostachyus, Ziziumguaniense and Acacia abyssinica were very relevant for coffea arabica shade. The respondents manage the disease by removing the affected part of Coffea arabica tree and burning it. Coffea Arabica also has cultural and spiritual values.

The Role of Homegarden Agroforestry in Biodiversity Conservation at Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, Chora District, South-western Ethiopia

Traditional homegardens in southwest Ethiopia is well-known land use practices playing important role in biodiversity conservation aspects. The objective of this study was to examine the contribution of homegardens towards of biodiversity conservation. Homegarden plant diversity assessment was done. A simple random sampling method was used to select 45 homegardens. Diversity indices were used for analysis. A total of 79 plant species belonging to 41 families were identified. Family Fabaceae and Rutaceae have a relatively higher number of species (6 species each). In terms of habit, (34%) of the species were herbs followed by trees (30%), shrubs (27%) and climbers (9%). Farmers manage both exotic (61%) and indigenous (39%), from which 57% were food and 43% nonfood plant species. The Shannon, Simpson and evenness diversity indexes were 3.27, 0.053 and 0.87 respectively. Coffea arabica was the most frequent (86.67%) species followed by Persea americana (68.89) and Catha edulis (64.44) in homegardens of the area. This study suggests that homegardens contribute to plant biodiversity conservation in the study area. However, due to few market-oriented crops concentration, biodiversity of the system have been affected. Thus, gardeners should be encouraged to cultivate versatile plants in the practice for effective biodiversity conservation.

Effects of coffee management on Bee Floral Diversity, Honey Yield and Quality: The Case of Gera District, Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia

This study was conducted to assess the effect of forest management for coffee cultivation on bee flora diversity, honey yield and quality as forest crop products in Gera district. Forest coffee (FC) and Semi-forest coffee (SFC) plots were selected for bee flora assessment. Total of 34 plots (FC = 17, SFC = 17) with plot size 20 m x 20 m (400 m2) were assessed. Sixty bee flora species belonging to trees (30), shrubs (21) and woody lianas (9) were identified and compared across plots. Results show that more bee flora diversity in FC (2.03) than SFC (1.09) system. Honey yield data was collected from 78 (FC = 52, SFC = 26) beekeepers. The honey yield of FC was higher than SFC system in both high and low production years. The honey production on average was 9.58 kg hive-1 for FC and 6.44 kg hive-1 for SFC in high production year while 6.5 kg hive-1 for FC and 4.24 kg hive-1 for SFC in low production year. To assess the honey quality, 6 kg honey samples (FC = 3, SFC = 3) were collected. Six honey quality parameters i.e. moisture, ash, pH, free acidity, electrical conductivity (EC) and total soluble solid (TSS) contents. The biochemical variation in the composition is significantly different (P&lt;0.05) in ash content, pH, EC and free acidity when comparing FC with SFC honey samples while the percentage of moisture and TSS contents were insignificant (p&gt;0.05). The study revealed that coffee management is associated with a decline in bee flora diversity, honey yields and on top of this, it has implications on honey quality deteriorations. Thus, there is an urgent need for control and monitoring on the expansion of SFC cultivation, which needs immediate conservation measures. Therefore, conservationists have to take actions for biodiversity conservation specially bee flora species diversity and ecosystem services that accompanied with coffee management and FC intensifications.

GIS-based assessment of climate change impacts on forest habitable Aframomum corrorima (Braun) in Southwest Ethiopia coffee forest

Climate change is thought to have a greater impact on crops that require particular conditions for their productivity. Southwest Ethiopia is a region where important cash crops such as Coffea arabica and Aframomum corrorima (korerima) originate. These crops are known to require shade for their growth and productivity. This study was conducted to assess the impacts of climate change on an important but neglected cash crop of A. corrorima using GIS-based species distribution approaches. Local meteorological data and bioclimatic data from WorldClim were used to map past, present, and future distribution of the crop in the Coffee Forest System of Southwest Ethiopia. Moreover, 96 key informants were interviewed and completed questionnaires to complement the distribution modeling. The key informants mapped the history and present occurrences of A. corrorima and based on this, ground-truthing survey was conducted. The interpolation method of the Inverse Distance Weighted was used in ArcGIS 10.5 to develop bioclimatic variables for modeling past and present distribution while data from IPCC (AR4) Emissions Scenarios was used for the future occurrence prediction using Principal Component Analysis. Eleven best bioclimatic variables were selected and MaxEnt was used to model past, present and future distribution of A. corrorima. The output of our model was validated using Area Under the Curve (AUC) approach. Temperature and precipitation are the most important environmental variable, then temperature increased by 1.3°C in the past (from 1988 to 2018) while it is predicted to increase further by at least 1.4°C before 2050. On the contrary, precipitation decreased by an average of 10.1 mm from the past while it is predicted to decrease further by 12.5 mm before 2050. Our model shows that the area suitable for korerima in 1988 was 20,638.2 ha and it was reduced by half and became 10,545.3 ha in 2018, similarly predicted to shrink into 3225.5 ha by 2050. The findings from the key informants confirm the model results whereby 89.1% of the respondent replied korerima producing area has been shifted into the mountains over the last 30 years (by 150 m a.s.l. from 1988 to 2018) and thus expected to be pushing up in the next 32 years (by 133 m before 2050). The community claims that the length of the rainy season of the area has been shortening from 9 months in the past to an average of 5.5 months recently which also coincides with increasing temperature. We conclude that with the changing climatic condition, the suitable habitat of korerima has already shrank by 48.9% (from 1988 to 2018) and the trend may lead to a shrink by 84.38% before 2050 (from 1988 to 2050). Therefore, it is important to develop site-specific climate adaptation strategies for the region such as promoting alternative livelihoods and avoiding further coffee forest degradation and deforestation.

Processes of Forest Cover Change since 1958 in the Coffee-Producing Areas of Southwest Ethiopia

We investigated the spatial relations of ecological and social processes to point at how state policies, population density, migration dynamics, topography, and socio-economic values of ‘forest coffee’ together shaped forest cover changes since 1958 in southwest Ethiopia. We used data from aerial photos, Landsat images, digital elevation models, participatory field mapping, interviews, and population censuses. We analyzed population, land cover, and topographic roughness (slope) data at the ‘sub-district’ level, based on a classification of the 30 lowest administrative units of one district into the coffee forest area (n = 17), and highland forest area (n = 13). For state forest sites (n = 6) of the district, we evaluated land cover and slope data. Forest cover declined by 25% between 1973 and 2010, but the changes varied spatially and temporally. Losses of forest cover were significantly higher in highland areas (74%) as compared to coffee areas (14%) and state forest sites (2%), and lower in areas with steeper slopes both in coffee and highland areas. Both in coffee and highland areas, forest cover also declined during 1958–1973. People moved to and converted forests in relatively low population density areas. Altitudinal migration from coffee areas to highland areas contributed to deforestation displacement due to forest maintenance for shade coffee production in coffee areas and forest conversions for annual crop production in highland areas. The most rapid loss of forest cover occurred during 1973–1985, followed by 2001–2010, which overlapped with the implementations of major land and forest policies that created conditions for more deforestation. Our findings highlight how crop ecology and migration have shaped spatial variations of forest cover change across different altitudinal zones whilst development, land, and forest policies and programs have driven the temporal variations of deforestation. Understanding the mechanisms of deforestation and forest maintenance simultaneously and their linkages is necessary for better biodiversity conservation and forest landscape management.

Effects of Coffee Management on Bee Floral Diversity, Honey Yield and Quality: The Case of Gera District, Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia

This study was conducted to assess the effect of forest management for coffee cultivation on bee flora diversity, honey yield and quality as forest crop products in Gera district. Forest coffee (FC) and Semi-forest coffee (SFC) plots were selected for bee flora assessment. Total of 34 plots (FC =17, SFC =17) with plot size 20m X 20m (400m2) were assessed. Sixty bee flora species belonging to trees (30), shrubs (21) and woody lianas (9) were identified and compared across plots. Results show that more bee flora diversity in FC (2.03) than SFC (1.09) system. Honey yield data was collected from 78(FC=52, SFC=26) beekeepers. The honey yield of FC was higher than SFC system in both high and low production years. The honey production on average was 9.58 Kg/hive for FC and 6.44Kg/hive for SFC in high production year while 6.5 kg/hive for FC and 4.24 Kg/hive for SFC in low production year. To assess the honey quality 6kg honey samples (FC=3, SFC=3) were collected. Six honey quality parameters i.e. moisture, ash, pH, free acidity, electrical conductivity (EC) and total soluble solid (TSS) contents. The biochemical variation in the composition is significantly different (P 0.05). The study revealed that; FC conversion to SFC is associated with a decline in bee flora diversity, honey yields and on top of this, it has implications on honey quality deteriorations. Thus, there is an urgent need for control and monitoring on the expansion of SFC cultivation, which needs immediate conservation measures. Therefore, conservationists have to find other means of economic incentives for the community to refrain from further FC conversion and intensifications. Keywords: Forest-coffee, Semi forest coffee, conversion, bee flora diversity, honey yield, honey quality DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-16-02 Publication date:August 31st 2020

English

Coffee quality is a complex trait involving sensory and bean characteristics as well as biochemical contents. The objective of this study was to assess the major factors influencing the quality of wild Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in the natural coffee forests of southwest and southeast Ethiopia. Results revealed that both natural (soil, aspect, elevation, climate, geographic location) and human factors (cherry harvesting/ handing, theft, forest management) considerably influenced the quality of wild Arabica coffee. The soil factor affected every component of coffee quality (cup quality, bean characteristics and biochemical contents). The cup quality of coffee varied with soil properties, especially with available P and soil texture. The bean size distribution was also affected by soil properties; there was significant positive relationship between soil pH, sand or Mn and the proportion of bold beans (retained on screen 17). Soil organic matter, total N and sand content were inversely correlated with caffeine content, but available P and clay content were positively correlated with caffeine. Increase in elevation led to increase in bean size up to the elevation of about 1600 m above sea level, but thereafter no more increase in bean size (hump-shaped relationship, not monotonic). Bean size increased with increase in longitude, but it decreased with increase in latitude. Cup quality was also significantly influenced by coffee harvesting and handling, but its influence was not noticed on bean size and biochemical contents. Coffee quality is therefore the resultant of an interaction of different natural and human factors prevailing in the respective area. Key words: Arabica coffee, bean size, biochemical content, cup quality, environment, management/handling.

Intensified Management of Coffee Forest in Southwest Ethiopia Detected by Landsat Imagery

The high forests in southwest Ethiopia, some of the last remaining Afromontane forests in the country, are home to significant forest coffee production. While considered as beneficial in maintaining forests, there have been growing concerns about the degradation caused by intensive management for coffee production in these forests. However, no suitable methods have been developed to map the coffee forests. In this study, we developed a tie-point approach to consistently estimate the degree of degradation caused by intensive management by combining use of Landsat imagery with in-situ canopy cover and tree survey data. Our results demonstrate a clear distinction between undisturbed natural forest and heavily managed coffee forest due to changes in forest structure and canopy cover caused by intensive management in the coffee forest. Temporal analysis of 32 years of Landsat imagery reveals a progressive and significant transition in the level of degradation in the coffee forest over this period. This is the first time to our knowledge, that this progressive intensification of coffee forest has been measured. There is a major intensification in the mid-1990s, which follows the introduction of new liberal economic policies by the Federal government established in 1991, rising coffee prices, and changes in state control over access to the forest. The question remains as to how these 20 years of intensive management in coffee forest have affected forest biodiversity and, more importantly, how canopy trees in this forest can be regenerated in the future. This study provides potential satellite-based mapping and ground-based photography and tree survey methods to help investigate the impacts of intensive management within coffee forest on biodiversity and regeneration.

Factor Affecting Coffee (Coffee Arabica L) Quality and Grading Methods

The coffee production in Ethiopia is the critical to Ethiopian economy with about quarter of total population depending directly or indirectly on their live hood. But, coffee production in Ethiopia is mainly concentrated in the south, southwest and east of the country. The annual production ranges from 200,000 to 250,000 metric tons depending on weather and soil condition. Coffee is produced by four methods in Ethiopia: forest coffee, semi-forest coffee, garden coffee and plantation coffee which they account 10%, 35%, 50% and 5%, respectively. Despite favorable climatic conditions variety of local coffee types for quality improvement and long history of production in Ethiopia, coffee quality is declining from time to time due to several improper pre and post-harvest management practice. To improve quality of coffee appropriate agronomic and envirmental factors were paramount importance. Therefore growing of coffee in suitable climactic condition and used adopted cult varies were indispensable to have quality coffee so as to increase income of the growers and the country as a whole. DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/10-4-02 Publication date: February 29 th 2020

Potential of coffee tourism for rural development in Ethiopia: a sustainable livelihood approach

The issue of handling conservation and livelihood simultaneously has been a development in debate since the 1980s. The discussion brought a sustainable livelihood framework aimed at addressing livelihood, sustainability, and conservation. And later tourism was added to the sustainable livelihood model as well. This is a conceptual study to examine the potential of coffee tourism for sustainable livelihood and conservation in south-west Ethiopia. A model for sustainable coffee tourism development is proposed. The study found that forest and semi-forest coffee production system which is relatively compatible with sustainability is losing its significance due to low yield and net profit. As a result, farmers are diverting to agriculture, which is threatening the survival of the moist montane ecosystem and the gene pool of wild Arabica coffee. To solve this problem, certification for specialty forest coffee has been implemented but failed to deliver livelihood improvement though little progress has been observed in the conservation aspect. It is concluded that unless a rural development approach compatible with livelihood improvement and conservation implemented, the survival of the montane forest and the gene pool of Arabica coffee is endangered. Therefore, a sustainable livelihood model for coffee tourism compatible with conservation and livelihood improvement is recommended to make the region a niche tourism destination.