SWD Ethiopia Masha

Ethiopian coffee producer Haile Gebrselassie isn’t just renowned for his athletic achievements- of which there are many. The Olympic running champion holds more than two dozen world records. He’s also known as one of the country’s most promising sustainable coffee producers.

Gebrselassie’s farm occupies 1,5000 hectares in Yeppo Village, Masha, Sidama, and was a gift to him from the Ethiopian government for his outstanding representation of his country on the world athletic stage. Of the allotment, 200 hectares have been dedicated as forest conservation lands, with the rest set aside for coffee production with an environmentally sensitive focus-adhering to both Organic and Rainforest Alliance standards.

Masha Woreda Yeppo Village (the name of the farm) is carefully divided into 46 microlot farming areas to ensure full traceability. In addition to Gebrselassie’s environmental commitment, his farm offers local farmers in Yeppo Village opportunities to train in best agronomy practices and increase productivity and cup quality.