Women diversify their livelihoods beyond the coffee farms

April 24, 2026

Tseganesh Haile was just three days away from giving birth to her sixth child when she welcomed visitors into her home in Wenago woreda with a warm smile.

“My husband is a farmer, and I am a housewife. I manage all the household responsibilities while he works on the coffee farm. That is how our household runs,” Tseganesh Haile explains.

For her family, coffee is not just a crop—it is a way of life. They have grown up with coffee, and their livelihood depends on the income they earn from it. Besides coffee, they grow a few additional crops, such as beans, mainly for household consumption.

Despite years of experience in coffee farming, productivity in the area has steadily declined, creating serious challenges for families and the wider community. Many coffee trees are between 20 and 30 years old, and their age, combined with vulnerability to environmental shocks, has contributed to reduced yields.

Following community consultations conducted by experts and representatives of the local administration, Tseganesh’s husband agreed to rejuvenate one-third of their aging coffee trees, placing his trust in the process and its expected long-term benefits.

This support is part of the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (FOLUR) initiative is implemented by the Ministry of Planning and Development (MoPD) with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ethiopia and 26 other countries worldwide.

While rejuvenating coffee trees promises future yields, diversified women-led income activities provide immediate stability for families. Recognizing the vital role women play in sustaining household wellbeing and shaping local economies, the project mobilized women into groups of ten. Over time, coffee rejuvenation efforts were complemented by support for women to form groups and establish formal associations.

Each woman received $25, which they contributed to a revolving fund. The association now serves as a platform for savings and loans, training, peer learning, and social support. “They trained our group first about saving, business, and other important life skills,” Tseganesh said. Women also received fuel-efficient cookstoves, accompanied by household-level demonstrations. For Tseganesh, the new stove addressed long-standing challenges. “Before, we used the traditional three-stone fire, which consumed a lot of firewood and produced smoke from all sides. The smoke burned our eyes and skin and caused many health problems. Mothers often got burned.”

“After we started using the improved stove, all those problems disappeared,” she said. “Even at nine months pregnant, I bake injera comfortably. It is simple and easy to use.”

Tseganesh has used the stove for two years and describes its efficiency positively. “It uses very little firewood. I only need three small sticks for it to get hot enough to bake injera. Once it heats up, it stays hot for a long time.”

For her and many others, the improved cookstove represents improved health, safety, and dignity.

Mebrate Asmamaw, a mother of eight, shares a similar experience. Her family’s livelihood also depends on coffee farming, supplemented by a small business.

Mebrate Asmamaw is an active member of a women’s association formed with support from the FOLUR initiative.

“Within our group of 30 women, each member has started a small business using loans from the association,” Mebrate explained. “Some produce injera, some work in hairdressing, others sell grains or run petty trade. The project helped us organize into structured groups and introduced a culture of saving.”

Every two weeks, each member contributes 50 birr to a shared savings account. Beyond financial benefits, the group functions as a social support network. “When a member gives birth, falls ill, or faces hardship, the group supports her. During times of grief, we use our savings to assist affected families.”

Mebrate also received an improved cookstove, which supported her small business making injera. “I now make 100 injera every day and sell each for 20 birr, earning about 2,000 birr a day,” she said. “Through this business and other petty trade activities, I have been able to generate income, save money, and improve my family’s wellbeing.”

The experiences of Tseganesh and Mebrate demonstrates that strengthening women’s economic capacity alongside agricultural productivity helps reinforce household livelihoods and community resilience.

Over the past two years in Wenago district, 710 coffee farmers have begun rejuvenating aging coffee trees. During the same period, 1,616 women received improved cookstoves and joined women’s associations, supporting income generation, savings, and social cohesion within communities growing coffee.