Coffee Drippers, Ethiopia, Mr. Mengeche Derso

Description

Mr. Mengesha Derso is a 62-year-old farmer from the Gedeo Zone in Ethiopia, an area famous for high-quality Yirgachefe coffee. He owns 15 hectares of land and has 62 years of farming experience. Mr. Mengesha, along with four of his twelve children, works on their farm, using natural fertilizers like animal manure. His dedication to producing excellent coffee has been recognized by the government, and his farm is known for its premium coffee.

The Single Farmer Project started in 2012 to help Ethiopian coffee farmers sell their traceable coffee directly. This project, led by Jason Long, was revolutionary because it allowed coffee roasters to highlight individual farmers from Ethiopia for the first time. It helped begin the movement for coffee traceability in the country, ensuring farmers are paid fair prices and their names are on contracts. The project aims to build long-term relationships between farmers and coffee roasting companies that value transparency and direct connections.