The Secret To Growing Great Coffee In Ethiopia
Nespresso believes that quality is not the result of chance, but rather deliberate action. Sustainability and the pursuit of the highest quality coffee have always been at the core of their business. Nespresso has made deliberate decisions throughout its history to provide coffee lovers around the globe with the finest roast and ground coffee in each cup.
The story began in 2003, when Nespresso introduced its AAA Sustainable QualityTM Program to ensure it had access to the finest coffee from the world’s most renowned coffee-growing regions, while also protecting the environment and enhancing the standard of living for farmers and their families.
While the Nespresso AAA Sustainable QualityTM Program initially focused on quality and environmental issues, it has since become more cognizant of pertinent social sustainability issues in coffee-sourcing countries and, in particular, gender disparity in the coffee industry.
Nespresso believes that advancing gender equality is a key driver for coffee sustainability and could have a substantial impact on coffee quality and output. Nespresso therefore began developing women-specific recruitment initiatives by collaborating closely with local communities in Ethiopia and Kenya through the AAA Program in order to address the issue.
Nespresso has already observed a reduction in the gender disparity as a result of their efforts. Already, 31% of all agronomists working with coffee farmers worldwide through the Nespresso AAA Program are female (compared to the global average of 15%, as estimated by the World Bank).
And it is women like Hundatu Ayana who are making significant contributions. As a coffee agronomist in her native Ethiopia, she struggled to convince coffee farmers to abandon their traditional crop management practices.
Hundatu, 31, continued to ride from farm to farm demonstrating best farming practices in the hope that farmers would listen.
She demonstrated how to prune old coffee trees in order for them to regenerate, discussed soil management and composting, and even taught them business skills.
