They came from as far away as the U.S. and New Zealand to attend the Second International Conference on Arabica Naturals: the diplomats; the cuppers; the distributors, consultants and farmers — all in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a to smell the rich aromatic local coffee and to seek the internationalization of standards for natural coffees.
The conference was the first to be held in Yemen, with a strong emphasis on showcasing the sweeter side of a country that to Westerners, is primarily branded a terrorist haven. Yemen, with its rich history and century-old techniques, is unique in that it consumes two-thirds of the coffee it produces. Its industry lacks international standing in large part because it does not adhere to a system of grading recognized by coffee producers world-wide.
Coffee here is grown in remote areas, on steep mountain sides reaching thousands of meters in height, restricting farmers’ access and making it physically difficult to reach the growing fields with heavy manure – the natural fertilizer of preference.
Coffee used to be a source of income for many but because of the drought and the lack of marketing strategy, most farmers have given up on traditional farming techniques and many have left farming altogether. According to Nadia Al-Sakkaf, editor-in-chief of The Yemen Times, the women, who are increasingly central to the nation’s coffee-growing industry, need the support of the international community to open Yemen’s access to the international market.
http://www.themedialine.org/news/news_detail.asp?NewsID=30961 [3]