Stakeholder Engagement Workshop Marks the Launch of the “Empowering Ethiopian Coffee Farmers” Project

On March 18, 2025, a successful stakeholder engagement workshop was held at Sapphire Addis Hotel, Addis Ababa, marking the official launch of the Empowering Ethiopian Coffee Farmers: A South-South Approach to Climate Finance and Carbon Credits project. The project, funded through a grant secured from the Spanish Cooperation, aims to enhance access to climate finance and carbon credit opportunities for Ethiopian coffee farmers, with a special focus on empowering women producers.

The workshop brought together 35 participants from government agencies, research institutions, coffee cooperatives, and climate finance experts to discuss strategies for integrating carbon credit mechanisms into Ethiopia’s coffee sector. The event provided a platform to explore how Ethiopia can leverage South-South knowledge exchange with Latin American countries to build a more climate-resilient and financially inclusive coffee industry.

The event opened with a welcome and introduction of participants by Alemu Tesfaye, Regional Programs Manager at OSSREA, who also provided an overview of the workshop agenda. Dr. Tadesse Woldemariam Gole, Executive Director of the Environment Coffee Forest Forum (ECFF), delivered a keynote address highlighting the urgent need for climate finance mechanisms to support the sustainability of Ethiopia’s coffee-growing regions.

A key session of the workshop was the formal introduction of the Empowering Ethiopian Coffee Farmers project. Alemu Tesfaye presented the project’s objectives, emphasizing its goal to enhance climate resilience, increase financial access through carbon markets, and foster South-South collaboration with coffee-producing countries in Latin America. He explained that the project will:

• Assess climate finance schemes and identify carbon credit opportunities in Ethiopia’s coffee sector.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange with partners in Honduras and Colombia to learn from successful carbon credit initiatives.
• Pilot a carbon credit program for women coffee farmers in Ilubabor Zone, Oromia, equipping them with the necessary skills to participate in carbon markets.
• Establish a Community of Practice (CoP) to sustain ongoing learning, engagement, and advocacy for climate finance in Ethiopia’s coffee industry.

Following this, Dr. Yonas Yohannes, Senior Researcher at Ethiopian Forestry Development, provided an overview of the current climate finance landscape, identifying key challenges, gaps, and emerging opportunities for Ethiopian coffee farmers. His presentation sparked a lively discussion on the barriers to accessing climate finance and the potential solutions that could be implemented through the new project.

After a coffee break and networking session, the workshop continued with presentations from key climate finance initiatives. Dr. Yitebitu Moges, Coordinator of Ethiopia’s REDD+ Program, shared insights on how Ethiopia’s REDD+ experience in forest conservation and carbon credit generation can be applied to the coffee sector. His presentation emphasized the importance of integrating sustainable land management practices to enhance Ethiopia’s position in global carbon markets.

The session continued with a presentation from Mr. Sisay Asfaw, Executive Director of NABU Ethiopia, who discussed NABU’s experience in climate finance initiatives within the Kaffa Biosphere Reserve. He highlighted how linking biodiversity conservation with carbon financing has provided both environmental and economic benefits to local communities, reinforcing the potential for similar models in Ethiopia’s coffee sector.

The Q&A session that followed allowed participants to delve deeper into the project’s implementation strategies, share insights on climate finance best practices, and discuss potential collaborations. The discussions were highly participatory, reflecting the strong interest and commitment among stakeholders to drive meaningful change in Ethiopia’s coffee sector.

In his closing remarks, Jordi, Assistant Project Manager for the Rural Development Program at Spanish Cooperation Ethiopia, reaffirmed the Spanish Cooperation’s commitment to supporting climate finance initiatives in Ethiopia. He emphasized the importance of continued collaboration and stakeholder engagement in ensuring the success of the Empowering Ethiopian Coffee Farmers project.

The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to advancing climate finance solutions that will strengthen the resilience of Ethiopian coffee farmers, enhance financial opportunities through carbon markets, and foster long-term sustainability in coffee production. Moving forward, the project will focus on implementing pilot initiatives, developing capacity-building programs, and expanding South-South knowledge exchange platforms to maximize its impact.

For more updates on the project and upcoming activities, visit www.ethiolatincoffee.com

#ClimateFinance #EthiopianCoffee #CarbonCredits #SustainableAgriculture