Benti Nenka lies in the southern part of the Guji area, known for its ideal altitude, abundant rainfall and rich soils, all of which contribute to the exceptional quality of the coffee grown here. Growing coffee is an integral part of community life. Most farms are between 1 and 2 hectares in size. Coffee is picked by hand by the landowners and their families, and is grown in association with other food crops. This approach maximises land use while providing food for the community.
About
The farm in detail
The origins of coffee in Guji go back several centuries, with wild varieties growing naturally in the region's forests. Local communities, mainly of the Oromo ethnic group, used coffee in their traditional practices long before it was commercially exploited.
For a long time, the Guji appellation was included in the Sidama appellation. In order to better distinguish the quality of the coffee produced here, this designation was separated by the Ethiopian authorities in the 2000s. This new designation makes it possible to refine the traceability of Ethiopian coffees and, above all, to better reflect their quality in terms of taste and typicality in the cup.
Today, the Guji appellation produces some of the finest coffees in the world. Coffee here is an ancient crop, grown on hilly plateaus in a dense forest or semi-forest environment, where the diversity of endemic species provides optimal shade for the coffee trees and contributes to the fertility of the soil.