Coffee consumption as beverage spread to all over Europe during the 17th
century, with great profit for the only then exporting country, Yemen. Coffee houses were established in Constantinople (1554), Venice (1645),London (1652), Marseilles (1659), the Hague & Amsterdam (1663), Paris
(1675), Hamburg (1679), Vienna (1683), Leipzig (1964) and Stuttgart (1712).
Coffee drinking in South-West of Ethiopia is not well documented. However, in the Northern provinces it gained
popularity. At the end of the 17th century, because it was used so frequently by the Moslems, opposition to coffee drinking was widespread through the Christian dominated areas of Ethiopia. The
church strongly opposed the bean and had forbidden its use. Despite such strong dislike of coffee, it was interesting to note that no restriction was placed either on its sale within the country or to its export.
James Bruce (1768-1773) observed coffee consumption in Northern Ethiopia, mixed with oil or animal fats (as is now described as bunakela). People even preferred bunakela
to a loaf of bread or pieces of meat. A billiard ball sized bunakela mix sufficed a day's need.
Currently, in Ethiopia coffee is consumed in different ways. Bunakela is still
popular in most coffee growing areas of the country. Long distance travelers or hunters in Gedio and Borena still use bunakela, while in Wollega bunakela is
prepared in special cultural and family occasions. Bunakela has got high social values and is a respected (holy) food to be served as the first dish in a new
born child party, as well as a means of expressing success in arranging marriage between young couples.
In most areas, coffee is prepared from roasted and pounded green beans
described as Bunna, Buno, bun, etc. In Hararge infusions of coffee roasted leaves, kuti, and husks mixed with milk, hoja are used.
In Kaficho and Shakicho
zones, where coffee was first domesticated, coffee leaves collected from wild coffee plants are brewed, and spiced with pepper and ginger, to prepare Chamo. The drink is a favorite one and used as medicine for
the sick and the weak people.
All this is to state that coffee is a specialty and used in special ways in the country of its origin. Specialty coffee did not need to be invented, as it did and
does exist since a long time.
In Ethiopia, coffee is culturally prepared and drunk 2 to 3 times a day. The people of Ethiopia have different special cultural ceremonies related to coffee.
Namely, during child delivery, wedding, possession of new animals, burial, holidays, etc. These cultures present a strong heritage for the country's sustainable coffee production.
Economy
Coffee is the most important agricultural commodity in the world, and worth up to 14 billion US dollars annually. More than 80 countries, including Ethiopia,
cultivate coffee. Coffee is exported as raw, roasted and soluble product to more than 165 countries. Over 121 countries export and/or re-export coffee. Over 50
developing countries of which 25 are from Africa depend on coffee. 17 countries earn more than 25% of their foreign currency earnings from coffee.
The agriculture based Ethiopian economy is highly dependent on C.
arabica. Coffee contributes over 65% of the foreign exchange earnings. No other product or service in Ethiopia has earned as much as coffee.
Other than its export values, coffee has a vital role in the cultural and socio-economic sectors. The labor- intensive tree-crop provides much
employment in rural areas and is a means of livelihood for over 15 million people in Ethiopia (some estimates reach even 25 million).
