Spatial variation in current and historical management of Arabica coffee across forests in its indigenous distribution

To guide conservation of forest biodiversity in a broad sense we need to understand the landscape-level variation in current and historical management practices of agroforestry systems. We collected data on coffee management practices across a large forested landscape in Ethiopia within Arabica coffee’s indigenous distribution, using interviews in 11 villages and field surveys and interviews at 78 coffee sites in the forest.

There was a gradient in coffee density (higher), liana cover (lower) and canopy cover (lower) from sites with high management intensity to sites without management. Recently, management intensity has increased in the forest edges. Interviews suggest that substantial areas of currently unmanaged coffee forests are a legacy of reforestation of abandoned (semi-) open landscapes in the late 19th century.

Despite a dynamic history of coffee cultivation across these areas, the conservation of forest biodiversity including unmanaged populations of genetically diverse Arabica coffee should be a priority, given few such remaining areas in Ethiopia and elsewhere in the world.

Methods
To investigate coffee management dynamics in forest landscapes, researchers selected 11 primary forest areas representing different kebeles within the coffee-growing altitudinal range. A mixed methods approach was used, combining key informant interviews, guided field walks, and field surveys to gather quantitative and qualitative data. Each main site involved interviews with two key informants, totaling 32 male farmers and knowledgeable elders, who provided insights into historical and current coffee management practices. Additionally, 24 other male informants participated in field walks to collect quantitative data on environmental variables and conduct further interviews.

During the walks, researchers visited preselected sub-sites known from prior inventory work and identified additional significant locations suggested by informants. They collected data on the size and estimated age of the oldest coffee shrubs, coffee and tree density, liana cover, canopy cover, and walkability. A semi-structured interview method allowed for open-ended questions to gain deeper insights. Interviews were conducted in Afan Oromo or Amharic and later translated into English for analysis. Data collection occurred over six weeks, gathering information from 78 sub-sites where coffee was present. This comprehensive approach facilitated a better understanding of coffee management practices within the forest landscape.