THE STORY BEHIND OUR LOGO

We chose a woman carrying a traditional “kanta” harvest bag, characteristic of the Bench Maji region and symbol of coffee as a livelihood source. The six red cherries lining the top of the basket represent the six indigenous people of the region: Bench, Sheko, Meenit, Dizi, Surma & Zilmamo. The coffee tree branch above her head symbolizes coffee as a giver of shelter from life’s difficulties; she grasps it with both hands, illustrating Bench Maji’s hard-working ethos. Last but not least, we chose a woman to represent our farmer community because coffee is traditionally grown and cared for by women; yet in terms of income it typically benefits only men. BMCFCU has a mission to change this narrative and empower women from the coffee farming community in terms of skills, prospects and income.

Coffee production in the Bench Maji region is a time-honored practice and tradition that is as much part of its economy as of its culture. But Bench Maji is one of Ethiopia’s lesser-known coffee producing regions. Why? Because for years private coffee traders have been buying this natural, uniquely distinctive coffee at extremely low prices and selling it under the umbrella origin of “Ethiopian heirloom” with no Bench Maji trademark or traceability back to region of origin.

With little to no business or negotiation skills, farmers from the region have had no platform to change this dynamic and have remained underpaid and undervalued, with the Bench Maji name remaining largely in the shadows.

Bench Maji Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union was formed to change this power structure and give the Bench Maji farmers skills and knowledge for improved livelihoods, leadership and representation for better negotiation of prices and market linkages, and to rightfully put the Bench Maji name on the global coffee market map. Ensuring the sustainability of Bench Maji’s coffee production and the engagement of its future generations of farmers.