In Ethiopia, four major coffee production systems are commonly distinguished
(Woldetsadik and Kebede, 2000):
Forest coffee system (Figure 6a and b), which includes simple coffee gathering
and forest production where coffee trees are simply protected and tended for
convenient picking.
Semi-forest coffee system (Figure 6c), where farmers slash weeds, lianas and
competing shrubs, thin forest trees and fill open spaces with local seedlings. Both
systems predominate in south-western Ethiopia and in Bale (Figure 7). They account
for 5 and 35% of national coffee production respectively (Petit, 2006).
Garden coffee system (Figure 6d and 6e) is a further step in the cultivation
process. Seedlings are taken from forest coffee plantations and transplanted closer to
farmers‘ dwellings. In this system, coffee is grown in smallholdings under a few shade
trees usually combined with other crops and fruit trees. The garden coffee system
predominates in the south (Sidamo), in the west (Wellega) and in the east (Harerghe
and Arsi). Very small-scale coffee growing in the marginal zones of northern Ethiopia
such as Gojam and Wello can also be included under this category. Garden coffee
accounts for about 50% of national production.
Plantation coffee system (Figure 6f), where coffee is cultivated after land
clearing with systematic soil preparation and seedling planting, and managed in order
to maximize the volume of production and productivity. This sector includes a few
large private and state farms mainly located in the south-west, as well as many smallholder plantations spread all over the coffee growing areas. It accounts for about
10% of national production.