ASSESSMENT OF WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AND BENEFIT IN THE COFFEE VALUE CHAIN IN YAYU COFFEE FOREST BIOSPHERE RESERVE – Ethiopian Coffee and Tea

Coffee is an important source of export revenues for coffee-producing countries. Ethiopia is known for the origin and wide diversity of Arabica coffee and has an enormous, unexplored potential to produce top specialty coffees.  Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve (YCFBR) is one of the five registered biosphere reserves in Ethiopia and has abundant potential in old coffee species.   Women are highly involved in coffee production and other means of income-generating activity. Hence, the main objective of this study was to assess the participation of women and their benefits in the coffee value chain in YCFBR. The study applied a descriptive research design and used a cross-sectional data structure. Multi-stage random sampling technique was employed to select sample respondent women. To address the objectives of this study, the data were collected from 191 women farmers and 59 key informants.  After data collection, the data was managed and codded using Excel and SPPS and analyzed via descriptive statistics. The finding confirmed that women in coffee value chain such as in management practices, harvesting, processing, and marketing highly involved and contribute 72% labor force. However, they have low participation in coffee marketing. The finding also confirmed that women farmers are not benefited despite of their high level of participation. This research finding recommends that strong efforts are expected from concerned entities to alleviate the challenges of women in the coffee value chain. Gender-specific digital-based market information and extension service delivery technologies should be expanded in the biosphere. Finally, alternative sources of energy such as electric power, solar, and biogas should be promoted and expanded to increase their participation in the value chain by saving their time and enhancing the sustainability of the biosphere.