Producer: Legesse Matisso
Legesse Matisso is a second-generation coffee producer who runs his farm with his wife and family of seven in Belo kebele, Chire woreda, Sidama zone. His family has owned the land since 1960, but it was only in 2020 that they registered for their own export license, hoping to gain direct access to international markets.
As coffee is their sole source of income, producing high-quality coffee and building strong trade relationships is crucial for their financial stability. Despite successfully obtaining their export license, Legesse has only managed to sell his coffee once through an international exporter to Korea and Taiwan. The majority of his coffee has been sold in the local market, often ending up in the hands of ‘agrabes’ (middlemen), where traceability is lost, and the coffee is blended with other regional lots. Legesse dreams of owning his own dry mill to have greater control over his coffee’s processing and quality.
Region: Sidama, Chiri, Belo
Legesse’s 5.15-hectare farm, sitting at 1710 meters above sea level, is located in the Harenna Forest, one of Ethiopia’s largest and most biodiverse natural forests. The region is home to native plants and wildlife, providing an ideal agroforestry environment for coffee cultivation. His farm is located near the Hamle River, which presents great potential for washed coffee processing in the future. The area enjoys mild temperatures, ranging from 23–28°C during the day and dropping to 13°C at night, with relatively low rainfall, creating ideal conditions for drying and processing coffee.