Advancing Circular Solutions in Ethiopian Coffee: Validation Workshop Highlights

On April 11, 2025, Women in Coffee Ethiopia (WiCE) convened key stakeholders from across the coffee sector for the Validation Workshop on the Assessment and Analytical Study on the Utilization of Coffee Waste for Resource Transformation, held at the Ramada Hotel in Addis Ababa.

This important workshop was organized in collaboration with the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), reinforcing a shared commitment to sustainability, innovation, and circular economy practices within Ethiopia’s coffee industry.

The session brought together representatives from across the value chain for an open and productive discussion on how coffee byproducts can be transformed into valuable resources. Soil and More Ethiopia presented the findings of their assessment, outlining practical and scalable pilot initiatives designed to reduce waste while creating environmental and economic benefits.

Proposed pilot schemes included:

• Biofuel production

• Compost and soil enrichment solutions

• Animal feed development

• Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming initiatives

Participants actively contributed insights, feedback, and local context, helping refine these approaches to ensure they are both feasible and impactful within Ethiopian coffee-producing communities.

This workshop marked a meaningful step toward a more sustainable and circular future for Ethiopian coffee, demonstrating how collaboration across sectors can unlock innovative solutions that benefit producers, communities, and the environment.

Women in Coffee Ethiopia extends sincere thanks to all partners, presenters, and participants whose engagement and expertise helped move this work forward. Together, we continue building pathways that strengthen the coffee value chain while advancing responsible resource use.