Private Coffee Plantations in Ethiopia

Abstract

This chapter charts the growth, decline, and rebirth of private large-scale coffee plantations in Ethiopia, and examines the roles of the state, the market, and private entrepreneurs in their development. Contemporary large-scale private plantations are shown to have had important historical antecedents. The re-emergence of these farms is the result of a long and complex interplay of domestic and international factors. Changes in the regulatory regime in the coffee sector interacted with developments in the world market for coffee to create conditions under which private large-scale plantations could thrive. Private plantations came to cover large areas of land and have become important sources of rural employment. The chapter uses a unique dataset to show that these plantations are among the most efficient and sophisticated coffee producers in Ethiopia.