Ethiopia may well be responsible for the spread of Arabica coffee plants throughout the world. One of the most popular coffee legends tells of an Ethiopian shepherd called Kaldi, who noticed a rapid re-energization in his goats upon grazing on some red berries. He tried them himself and found them to be highly stimulating. He reported the discovery to local monks, who despite initial reticence, extracted an infusion that could keep them awake during long nights of prayer. The highly favourable climatic conditions meant that the cultivation of coffee quickly developed in the highlands of the country. It was traded along the routes of the spice market, from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula and finally, via the important centre of Constantinople, to Europe. Ethiopia is today Africa´s leading producer and the fifth worldwide. Production is concentrated around small farmers with plots of land smaller than 1 hectare. Once the coffee is picked, it is transferred to the centre of Addis Abeba from where it is routed to the port of Djibuti to be shipped to diverse destinations.
