Jimma Coffee Programme Updates Rejuvenation Impact Estimate

August Evidence Update

HereWeGrow’s August 2026 update revises the Jimma coffee programme’s estimated social return on investment to 5.5 following methodological adjustments. The estimate models additional household income relative to programme costs; it is not a verified cash return received by every participant.

Tree Rejuvenation Adoption

The update reports that 63% of households in the first cohort adopted stumping, a practice that cuts back ageing coffee trees to encourage new growth. Programme support included TechnoServe’s Coffee Farm College, access to tools and washing-station training. The authors identify uncertainty in assumptions about the yield effects of stumping.

Buyer Perspective

Our reading is that the useful follow-up is evidence on harvests and household outcomes over time. For sourcing discussions, asking when fields were rejuvenated and which production season an estimate covers can make availability forecasts easier to interpret. A programme-level model should not become a promise about the volume or cup quality of a specific lot. Buyers sharing this development with customers can explain the reported adoption result while keeping estimated income effects clearly labelled. Future evaluation updates will help establish how durable the programme’s benefits are.