Yayu Wild Forest, Ethiopia

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The Yayu Wild Forest is one of the last and most important remaining mountain forest fragments for the preservation of wild Arabica Coffee in the world. This natural landscape, high up in the hills of Ethiopia, is a hotspot for biodiversity and is a significant conservation zone. A major challenge in the area is preventing the ongoing destruction of the forestland. A common practice for communities is to clear a plot of land from the forest by felling trees, then planting a crop to generate an income.

Back in 2014, Union teamed up with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Ethiopia Coffee Forest Forum and producer partners in Yayu with efforts to create more sustainable livelihoods in coffee farming, in turn, helping protect the natural biosphere. The aim was to create infrastructures and provide training in producing high-quality coffee, so farmers would not have to turn to plant other crops for their income.

The three-year project with Royal Botanic Gardens came to an end in 2018, but the partnership between Union and the Yayu producer partners remains strong, with the Union team visiting 3 to 4 times per year. The Yayu forest co-operatives continue to produce incredible coffee, often being showcased as our limited edition microlots.

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title: Related Regions | Coffees from Ethiopia: https://unionroasted.com/collections/ethiopia-coffees

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title: Union Direct Trade | Our Sourcing Principle: https://unionroasted.com/pages/union-direct-trade | Union Direct Trade in Action: https://unionroasted.com/blogs/union-direct-trade-in-action