THE Farm of Chelchele

The Chelchele farm, managed by Metad, is situated about 400 km south of Addis Ababa, in the administrative Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region. It was created in 2013 on 30 hectares of land in the very heart of the Yirgacheffe appellation, known on the international scene for its high-quality coffees. Metad works with local farmers who supply him with their best cherries. More than 2,000 farmers in the vicinity of Gedeb currently sell all or part of their harvest to Metad. They cultivate high-altitude land (at around 2,000 metres) using old and exclusively manual practices. Metad operates a very precise traceability system thanks to which we know the farmers, who are members of kebele associations. For the moment, the Belco team has chosen the coffee produced by the inhabitants of the village of Halo Beriti, located in the woreda of Gedeb (after which the farm is named). Metad has set up a washing station in Gedeb, at an altitude of 2,000 metres, which offers advantages for bean preparation. It is a coffee that takes longer to dry and also suffers less damage from insects, of which there are fewer here. The result is a better-quality coffee with a more intricate cup.
We were also delighted to discover that the company is involved in development projects that go beyond the farm itself, an approach that further encouraged us to work with Metad. The group is aware of the natural wealth of the Gedeo area and promotes more environmentally responsible agricultural practices. In addition, it finances road construction and a primary school for 800 pupils in the vicinity of the washing station, which it fully manages.