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Coffee | Haraz Mountains Coffee Yemen | Haraaz Coffee | Haraz |
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Steps to Discovery
For decades, Yemen was the only country producing and exporting coffee, and it is an integral part of its culture. Yemen is the origin of Coffea Arabica, which takes its name from Qahwa Arabiyah (Arabic Coffee). The word “Mocha” is a derivative of the name of Yemen’s Al-Makha port, through which coffee was exported to the world.
The Haraz Mountain region is located in the northwest Highlands of Yemen, an area lost to the boundaries of time, thriving exactly as it has for centuries. Like a movie set in ancient times, the panoramic scenery consists of rugged brownish-grey mountains. At first glance, the view appears to be desert, but a closer look reveals wadis (valleys) in between mountains, green with vegetation and grazing livestock.
Step Farming
Along mountain slopes, steep stone steps were carved centuries ago, providing the basis for a method of farming still used today. At elevations as high as 3,000 meters above sea level, coffee thrives in volcanic soil, rich in mineral nutrients. In a country with scarce water supply, the steps serve as a retaining vessel, ¬providing enough moisture for cultivation. This tradition is carried on today by the approximately 500 farm families living in villages throughout the sprawling Haraz mountain region.
Sizes of individual farms are small, approximately ¼ - ½ hectare, and are identified by village name. Proud farmers continue to grow coffee with proven traditional practices, providing an artisan’s touch passed down from generation to generation. Thriving within a pure environment of fresh air, coffee grows in rich volcanic soil without any artificial fertilizers or pesticides.
Steps Forward
The Al-Ezzi commitment is to pay a fair price to the farmers and trade direxctly with the cooperative farms to develop sustainable agriculture and long-term health for the Haraz mountain communities.
Assisting farmers with the socio-economic development of Haraz is vital to restoring healthy agriculture and sustainable business practices to the region. Projects include paved roads, water treatment facilities, a hospital, education, and new wells, all providing solutions to enable farmers to become independent and maintain a sustainable future.
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