Thermoplan and Caritas Switzerland Meet Ethiopian Coffee Authorities

Overview of the Discussion

Caritas Switzerland, an international humanitarian and development organization, and Thermoplan, a well-known Swiss company in the coffee equipment industry, met with Ethiopian authorities to discuss opportunities for advancing coffee development in Ethiopia.

The meeting opened with a PowerPoint presentation by Mr. Shafi Umer, Deputy Director General of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, who outlined the current state of Ethiopian coffee production and marketing.

Ethiopian Coffee Production: Challenges and Progress

Mr. Shafi Umer explained both traditional and modern production systems in Ethiopia. He highlighted that modern production methods are not yet widely adopted — the sector is characterized by small-scale scattered farming, which makes it difficult to gather consistent data for mechanized systems or to meet European deforestation-free regulations.

Despite these structural challenges, he noted meaningful productivity gains: average yield per hectare has grown from 7.5 quintals to 9.5 quintals, reflecting incremental improvements across the sector.

Marketing Reforms and Value Chain Shortening

In his presentation on the marketing side, Mr. Shafi Umer emphasized that recent reforms have significantly shortened the value chain, bringing measurable benefits — most notably, enabling farmers to export directly. This shift reduces intermediary costs and increases the share of export revenue reaching producers.

He further indicated that the long-term strategy involves removing suppliers from the chain entirely, with the goal of further streamlining the path from farm to international buyer.

Thermoplan: Innovation and Community Investment

Thermoplan is known globally for developing innovative products in the coffee sector, with a primary focus on the production of automatic coffee machines and securing the sustainability of coffee inputs. Beyond equipment manufacturing, the company also invests directly in coffee-producing communities, engaging at the source level to support long-term supply chain sustainability.

Caritas Switzerland: Livelihoods and the uniqueBean Project

Caritas Switzerland focuses its work on poverty reduction and community resilience. Their activities in Ethiopia are structured around sustainable livelihoods, agricultural marketing systems, climate resilience, and community empowerment.

To operationalize their collaboration with sector stakeholders, Caritas Switzerland is implementing the uniqueBean Project in the Harena Forest, Bale Zone. The project works to strengthen the capacity of smallholder coffee farmers by improving coffee quality, expanding market access, and introducing sustainable and climate-friendly agricultural practices.

Purpose of the Meeting

Both parties convened to strengthen institutional ties, share progress made under the uniqueBean Project, explore further collaboration opportunities, and deepen their understanding of Ethiopia's coffee production system — including its potential and positioning within global markets.

Report by: Ashenafi Getahun