Sustainability analysis of coffee production in Abe Dongoro district

Regenerative agriculture is vital in addressing the economic problems, particularly power imbalances in the value chain, by transforming means of production, restoring fairness, and shifting value and decision-making power closer to producers. However, the Ethiopian coffee sector has been threatened by multi-layered sustainability challenges at the producer’s level. This paper focuses on the Abe Dongoro district, known for its rich coffee-growing heritage, underdeveloped infrastructure, and marginalized farmers in Ethiopia. This study examines the sustainability performance of coffee production based on Enveritas standards and its drivers using a fractional logit model, applied for the first time to cross-sectional data from 385 coffee farm households selected through simple random sampling. The study discloses that coffee production in the study area falls short of meeting overall sustainability standards, with the economic dimension (39%) scoring pointedly lower than the social (58%) and environmental (57%) pillars. The extensive involvement in child labor (65%), hunting (38%), and deforestation (32%) further underscores unsustainable practices. The results of the fractional logit model indicate that access to extension services, training, credit, level of education, farming experience, farm size, hired labor, gender, and coffee as a prime source of income positively impacted the degree of sustainability in coffee production, whereas family size negatively influenced it. Therefore, policy involvements should prioritize improving access to extension services, credit, technical training, and supporting adult literacy to significantly enhance sustainability outcomes in the area. Similarly, promoting labor-sharing arrangements could ease labor constraints and reduce reliance on child labor. Furthermore, promoting agroforestry and offering alternative income sources (e.g., beekeeping) can help reduce pressure on forests and wildlife. Tailored support for women and for farmers who depend primarily on coffee income is also important, and addressing the negative influence of larger family size may require integrated social protection and awareness programs.