Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (SCFCU) is the second largest regional cooperative in Ethiopia and sources coffee from 53 community-based cooperatives throughout the Sidama zone. The bulk of production comes from small family owned farms where coffee is cultivated on just a few acres of land. In this instance, nearly 2000 producers carefully pick and deliver their harvested cherries to the Nura Korate Cooperative, which operates a mill in the Dara District. Cherries are carefully hand sorted to remove under ripe and damaged beans, floated to remove less dense coffee beans, then depulped, fermented for 48 hours, washed and classified again in channels. The parchment is placed on raised beds where it is hand sorted again and dried over a period of 12 to 15 days. The parchment is often covered during the afternoons to prevent harsh drying in the intense sun. When the coffee reaches 11 percent moisture content, it is transported to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to be milled and prepared for export. Simultaneously, Nura Korate carries out activities that often go unnoticed but are crucial for small producers, including training producers in best organic practices and investing in basic infrastructure needs like road improvements and establishing local warehouses. SCFCU focuses on establishing a certification process for local cooperatives, creating micro-credit for producers and investing in social programs on a larger scale. Environmental training programs, healthcare initiatives, life insurance, and educational opportunities are just some of the ways SCFCU strives to improve the quality of life for coffee producers and their families.
