Yirgacheffe is actually part of the Gedeo Zone, Southern Nations region, in
southern Ethiopia, but its exquisite, washed coffees are so well-known that is
has been sub-divided into its own micro-region. This steep, green area is both
fertile and high – much of the coffee grows at 2,000m and above. At first glance, Yirgacheffe’s hills look
thickly forested – but in fact, it is a heavily populated region, and the hills
are dotted with many dwellings and villages’ growing what is known as ‘garden
coffee’. There are approximately 26 cooperatives in the region, representing
some 43,794 farmers and around 62,004 hectares of garden coffee. The production
is predominantly washed, although a smaller number of sundried coffees also
come out of Yirgacheffe