Ethiopia’s coffee sector thrives as global demand grows

Ethiopia’s coffee sector is showing strong growth thanks to focused national efforts to boost production and productivity, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The announcement was made during a key forum held at the UNFSS+4 “Day of Action” summit, which featured visits to several food system transformation projects and a main event at the Science Museum on the future of Africa’s coffee industry.

Girma Amente, Ethiopia’s minister of agriculture, speaking at the forum, highlighted the central role coffee plays in the country and across Africa. He described coffee as much more than a crop—calling it a “strategic product intrinsically linked to history, identity, and economic development.”

The event focused on ways to transform Africa’s coffee value chain, with a strong call for more sustainable finance, better technology, and wider trade opportunities to help improve coffee production, processing, and value addition across the continent.

The high-level gathering included key global figures such as Amina J. Mohammed-UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jessica Alupo-Ugandan Vice President, Qu Dongyu-FAO Director-General , and Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Researchers, policymakers, and private sector representatives also took part.

Girma spoke of Ethiopia’s success in increasing coffee production by using climate-smart farming methods. He also pointed out the growing international demand for Ethiopian coffee and its importance for foreign exchange and national pride.

Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General added, “Coffee is the primary livelihood for millions, especially smallholder farmers.” She stressed the importance of investing in production, value addition, technology, and market expansion to improve lives and transform the sector.

Jessica Alupo, Ugandan Vice President noted coffee’s importance to African economies and identity. She outlined Uganda’s efforts to grow the sector sustainably and inclusively, and said research and innovation are needed to tackle climate change and improve quality.

Italy’s Stefano Gatti confirmed continued support for coffee programmes in Ethiopia and Uganda. He called for more international cooperation to address challenges and fully unlock the sector’s potential.

Qu Dongyu, FAO Director-General said over 80% of smallholder farmers globally rely on coffee. He warned of the growing threats from climate change and price instability, and called for urgent global action to ensure farmers can benefit fairly from the coffee trade.

The forum, titled "Enhancing the Transformation of the Coffee Value Chain," was organised by the governments of Ethiopia and Italy, along with UNIDO, and the International and African Coffee Organizations.