Fairtrade celebrations with Ecocoffee for Ethiopian New Year
Coffee farmers across Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, have fresh hope for the future. The international film release, ”Black Gold” has urgently reminded audiences that a cup of coffee is a connection to millions of people struggling to survive. Fairtrade coffee producers are relying on the consumer world to buy and use their certified products to cover the cost of production and receive a living wage as an alternative to perpetual
crisis and poverty.
Ecocoffee supplies ground and whole bean coffee from the 103,000 farmers in 115 cooperatives in the Oromia Coffee Farms Cooperative Union in Ethiopia (OCFCU) featured in Black Gold, the movie. The Oromia region in Ethiopia produces 65% of the countrys coffee. Approximately 618,000 households in the region are involved in coffee production. Men and women of the OCFCU are the growers, processors and exporters of high quality, organic Arabica coffee.
Paul Greenhalgh of Ecocoffee said, The best way for coffee-lovers to celebrate all year long is with Eco Coffees monthly delivery of OCFCUs Mocha Sidamo at home and as a gift to UK friends and relatives. At the end of 12 months, Ecocoffee will make an extra donation to the OCFCU to further their community projects and positively impact peoples lives.
Pete Thompson, Sahara Marathon veteran and 2008 competitor, urges all Fairtrade supporters to take up the challenge: “I ran 150 miles across the Sahara in 2005 to raise money and awareness for North African lion
conservation. I have worked with Barbary lions for 10 years in the UK as a keeper. Big cat conservation supporters know that human poverty has to be in check for wildlife issues to move forward.”
Pete continued, ”I urge every admirer of cats - be they lion or tabby - to order OCFCU Mocha Sidamo from Ecocoffee starting this Ethiopian New Year.
Barbary lions and Ethiopan lions once shared a range across North Africa before the global economy. This is the time to use Fairtrade to get the balance right for people and animals in Africa and elsewhere.”