EU-Backed Coffee Project Supplies 70 Mln Birr Worth of Equipment to Farmers

June 13, 2026

Mintesinot Nigussie

The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) has distributed modern agricultural technologies and quality control equipment valued at more than 70 million birr to coffee-producing regions as part of efforts to improve productivity and quality across Ethiopia's coffee sector.

The equipment, supplied in collaboration with the European Union-funded Coffee Action for Ethiopia (EU-CAFE) Project, was handed over to regional agriculture bureau officials and representatives of research institutions. The technologies will be deployed to selected districts in major coffee-growing regions and made available to model farmers.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, ECTA Director General Adugna Debela said technological adoption has become an important driver of productivity and quality improvements in the coffee industry.

He said the authority has been working to expand farmers' access to modern agricultural technologies and that the initiative is beginning to produce tangible results.

According to Adugna, average coffee yields, which stood at about six quintals per hectare several years ago, have increased to more than 10 quintals per hectare with the support of improved technologies and production practices.

He added that the newly distributed equipment is expected not only to support the adoption of modern farming methods but also to strengthen the competitiveness of Ethiopian coffee in international markets.

Tagay Nuru, ECTA's deputy director-general, said maintaining product quality remains critical for improving the sector's position in global markets.

He noted that efforts to expand export destinations and increase foreign exchange earnings depend heavily on quality improvements at farm level. The newly introduced technologies, he said, are expected to support those efforts while creating a foundation for broader interventions across the coffee value chain.

The distribution forms part of ongoing initiatives aimed at improving production efficiency, enhancing quality standards and strengthening Ethiopia's position in the global coffee trade.