BALANCING COAL MINING AND CONSERVATION IN SOUTH-WEST ETHIOPIA

This policy brief examines the conflict between coal mining and biodiversity conservation in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve in south-west Ethiopia. It discusses the socio-ecological impacts of extractive industries on wild Coffea arabica and local communities, arguing for a harmonised approach to sustainable resource management.

• The Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designated in 2010, is the only place globally where genetically diverse species of Coffea arabica grow in their original habitat. The reserve covers 167,013 hectares and is divided into a core zone (no human intervention), a buffer zone (locally managed semi-forest coffee systems), and a transition zone (intensive human use).
• The indigenous wild coffee populations in the biosphere reserve have significant global economic value, estimated between $420 million and $1.45 billion per year, due to their potential for developing high-yielding, low-caffeine, or pest- and disease-resistant varieties.
• A geological survey by the China National Complete Plant Import and Export Corporation estimated 230 million tons of coal in a 50 km2 area in and around the forest. The Ethiopian government intends to use this resource to produce 30,000 tons of ethanol, 90 MW of electrical power, and 300,000 tons each of urea and diammonium phosphate annually for several decades.
• Coal mining and the construction of fertiliser plants, which began in 2011/12, have caused physical displacement of thousands of smallholder farmers and the expropriation of productive assets. Security measures have restricted access to agricultural land and wild coffee farms, forcing villagers to enter the protected core zone for resources.
• Mining activities have led to habitat loss and the extinction of wild coffee and other biodiversity resources through site clearing, excavation, and drilling. This has deteriorated the livelihoods of forest-dependent households who can no longer easily obtain wild fruits, thatching grasses, and trees for beehives.
• The influx of skilled and unskilled non-local workers has disrupted existing natural resource management systems and created new power relations, reducing the influence of local communities in forest-related decision-making and increasing competition for housing and livelihood spaces.
• The author recommends that the Ethiopian government improve coherence across mining and natural resources governance, harmonise mining policies with biodiversity management, and conduct transparent re-investigations of social and environmental effects before expanding mining concessions.

APA

SULEMAN, K. K. (2017). BALANCING COAL MINING AND CONSERVATION IN SOUTH-WEST ETHIOPIA. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Policy-Insights-40.pdf

Chicago

SULEMAN, KASSAHUN KELIFA. BALANCING COAL MINING AND CONSERVATION IN SOUTH-WEST ETHIOPIA. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2017. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Policy-Insights-40.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=SULEMAN |first1=KASSAHUN KELIFA |title=BALANCING COAL MINING AND CONSERVATION IN SOUTH-WEST ETHIOPIA |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=March 2017 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Policy-Insights-40.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{suleman2017balancing, author = {SULEMAN, KASSAHUN KELIFA}, title = {{BALANCING COAL MINING AND CONSERVATION IN SOUTH-WEST ETHIOPIA}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2017}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Policy-Insights-40.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }