Forest Coffee
Forest coffee is found in south and south-western Ethiopia. It is self-sown and grown under the full coverage of natural forest trees and has a wide diversity for selection and breeding for disease resistance. It offers high yields and top-quality aroma and flavor. Forest coffee accounts for about 10 percent of Ethiopia's total coffee production.
Semi-Forest Coffee
This production system is also found in the south and south-western parts of the country. Farmers acquire forest land for coffee farms and then thin and select the forest trees to ensure both adequate sunlight and proper shade for the coffee trees. They slash the weeds once a year to facilitate the coffee bean harvest. Semi-forest coffee accounts for about 35 percent of Ethiopia's total coffee production.
Garden Coffee
Garden coffee is grown in the vicinity of farmer's residences, mainly in the southern and eastern parts of the country. The coffee is planted at low densities, ranging from 1,000 to 1,800 trees per hectare, and is mostly fertilized with organic waste and is intercropped with other crops. Currently, garden coffee accounts for about 35 percent of Ethiopia's total coffee production but this is set to increase with the introduction of the system into south-west Ethiopia.
Plantation Coffee
Plantation coffee includes that grown on plantations owned by the former state and some well-managed smallholder coffee farms. In this production system, recommended seedlings are used and proper spacing, mulching, manuring, weeding, shade-regulation and pruning are practiced. Only state-owned plantations use chemical fertilizers and herbicides and this accounts for only about five percent of total production. Well-managed smallholder coffee farms account for about 15 percent of Ethiopia's total production.