Performance of Ethiopian National Quality Infrastructure in Production and Primary Processing Activities of Coffee Value Chain
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Date
2017-10
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AAU
Abstract
Coffee is the number one source of export revenue generating crop about 25-30 percent of
Ethiopia’s total export earnings and plays a vital role in the country’s economy with about 15
million people directly or indirectly deriving their livelihoods from it. Quality of coffee end
product, raw (green) coffee, is determined on every step in the value chain activities starting from
seedling preparation to retailing. To achieve this quality of coffee product, the performance of
Ethiopian NQI elements (standard, metrology, conformity assessment and accreditation) in each
main activity of coffee value chain has an important role. Therefore, this study was conducted with
an objective of assessing the performance of Ethiopian NQI in production and primary processing
activities of coffee value chain and followed by proposing a way to improve the performance.
Secondary data from Ethiopian conformity assessment body (CLU) was collected, seven coffee
quality experts, six NQI experts, two traders and three machine operators were interviewed and
observations of warehouse, conformity assessment practices, laboratories etc. were made during
the research and all used as an input of the analysis. During the data presentation, Excel 2013
was used as a main tool in developing charts based on the data collected. The results were revealed
that ENQI elements are weak in performance in both production and primary processing activities
of coffee value chain. Lack of standards in coffee cherries grading and weak in standards
implementation in piling of coffee direct contacted with wall, piling on bare ground, store empty
bags with coffee filled bags together etc. were investigated. Also, lack of testing of temperature
and humidity during storage and transportation, lack of soil nutrition testing of coffee lands, weak
in inspections performance of pests, diseases, ripeness, drying level, fermentation level, proper
washing, proper separation of coffee beans from husks and hulls etc. were seen. Moreover, there
is no any accreditation practices were performed through these two activities of coffee Value
chain. In order to improve these problems within the performance of ENQI elements in production
and primary processing activities of coffee value chain, a new working framework was proposed
that can link the two sectors (NQI and coffee sector) to work cooperatively. Therefore, it is
recommended that to use the newly proposed framework and the four NQI authoritative bodies
have to go distances such as establishing their office in a place coffee production and primary
processing takes place, show usage of their service in practice by performing it on selected model
actors, like Metrology Institute, asking and moving to them to give services, etc. to reach and serve
the coffee sector (actors in coffee production and primary processing activities) instead of waiting
this sector to come a distance to them to get their services.
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Keywords
Quality Infrastructure, Coffee Value Chain