About Goro Muda #1
Guji Goro Muda comes from Harsu Haro Muda kebele in Guji’s Uraga district, part of Ethiopia’s Oromia region. Oromia is the largest region in the country, home to more than 30 million people. Guji is one of Ethiopia’s oldest and most celebrated coffee-growing areas. The Harsu Haro Muda kebele is remote and especially difficult to reach during the rainy season.
Farms in this area are located between 30 and 90 minutes away from the washing station, accessible only by dirt roads that become muddy and hazardous when it rains. Local producers transport their coffee using horses, mules, or donkeys.
Rainy seasons in the region used to last only a few months each year, but due to climate change, they now stretch across almost the entire calendar. This extended rainfall disrupts every aspect of life, especially during the harvest season from December to February. Producers must take full advantage of clear weather when it arrives, harvesting and transporting as much coffee as possible during brief dry windows that are becoming increasingly rare.
Farmers in the area use intercropping methods, growing coffee alongside false banana trees, maize, Korch, Wanza, and Sesa to provide natural shade. They select shade plants according to the age and specific needs of the coffee trees. The region’s sandy loam soil offers excellent fertility, drainage, and water retention. With proper planting techniques, it supports high-quality coffee without requiring additional fertilizer. More than 432 producers contribute coffee to the local washing station.
The farmers belong to the Oromo people and speak Oromiffa. Their lives revolve around coffee farming and are shaped by long-standing cultural traditions. Many families face serious challenges, including limited access to electricity and clean drinking water. Children often do not begin school until age nine, as they must walk long distances to reach the nearest classrooms. Because of this, many young people grow up working in agriculture, farming potatoes, coffee, maize, or false banana trees on land owned by their families or neighbors.
Despite these difficulties, the producers of Goro Muda are widely respected in the specialty coffee world for their deep knowledge, hard work, and exceptional quality.
