Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, is home to millions of smallholder coffee farmers who face daunting challenges every day. From volatile coffee prices and climate change to pests, diseases, and economic uncertainty, these farmers are on the frontlines of survival. With the Coffee Alliances for Ethiopia (CAFE) project, Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) is redefining what’s possible for coffee farming communities.

Since its launch in October 2019, the CAFE project has empowered over 3,000 coffee farming households—positively impacting around 15,000 lives. At the heart of this transformation lies the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach, which provides farmers with practical knowledge in good resource management and market access, promoting gender equality through couples’ seminars, supported youth in generating income along the coffee value chain, and encouraged farmers diversify their production systems.

Key achievements of the CAFE project

The project resulted in significant improvements in coffee productivity and profitability. Beyond agricultural training, the project addressed broader needs. These integrated efforts yielded remarkable outcomes.

• Increased Coffee Productivity: Farmers experienced a 70% improvement in coffee productivity through the adoption of GAPs.
• Enhanced Gender Equality: Couples’ seminars promoted joint decision-making, resulting in a 26% improvement in gender equality within households.
• Improved Food Security: Around 13% more families diversified their crops to include fruits and vegetables for home consumption.
• Resilience to Climate Change: Climate-smart practices have strengthened farmers’ ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Kirsten Ehrich, member of HRNS, highlights these achievements by stating that “despite shocks such as worsening climatic conditions and the emerging Amhara conflict, agricultural productivity and profitability, income diversification, and gender equality have improved, and with them farmers’ livelihoods.

A holistic approach: key to success?

By empowering more than 3,000 farming households, the project has laid a strong foundation for resilient and thriving coffee-farming communities. One of its most remarkable successes lies in its holistic approach, which goes beyond addressing isolated challenges and instead integrates a diverse range of activities into a cohesive, impactful strategy. While agricultural expertise remains a cornerstone of successful smallholder initiatives, evaluations have shown that sustaining long-term improvements in farmers’ livelihoods requires more than training in farming techniques. The project’s inclusion of key focus areas—such as gender equality, income diversification, climate resilience, and farmer organization—has proven essential for creating lasting and meaningful change.

More information on Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) activities in supporting smallholder families can be found at www.hrnstiftung.org/ and in their factsheet.