Abstract:
This report represents an initial attempt to study the
farming systems of the three CIPAs in Hararghie with the
objectives of understanding some of the constraints affecting
peasant coffee production in these areas and of collecting
information about the costs and benefits of coffee production*
It draws upon secondary information sources and information
collected from farmers and local officials during a 10 day
field trip to the area* It therefore represnts a preliminary
study from which tentative conclusions may be drawn and from
which topics worthy of more concentrated study may be
identified. Since this is the first report of its kind to be
produced by CIP, it is also a test of the methodology of
rapid rural appraisal used* The report therefore contains
a description of methodology before going on to describe and
analyse different aspects of peasant agriculture in the area,
with the final sections considering the relative merits of
different enterprise and actions that could be taken to
increase coffee production and farmer welfare. No analysis
of yields or costs and returns from planting and stumping are
included in the report as it was considered that this would
be premature in view of the data that should shortly be
available from CIP yield studies. The reader is advised to
consult the table of contents and select those parts of the
report of relevance to him or her*
The principal conclusions regarding the current problems
