Qima Coffee and the ACE celebrate Yemeni coffee with PCA
Image (cropped): Michael Burrows via Pexels
Qima Coffee and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) have announced their sixth annual edition of the online private collection auction (PCA), titled Best of Yemen: Coffee x Climate. This year’s PCA will focus on Yemen’s unique climate and its profound influence on the coffee produced in the region. The event is scheduled for 8 October 2024.
Yemen boasts a rich coffee heritage and stands as a unique coffee origin. It is the driest and most extreme coffee-growing region in the world, with the widest range of temperatures. Despite these harsh conditions, Yemeni coffee farmers have developed innovative cultivation practices that balance economic sustainability with environmental conservation. These practices have led to the development of cultivated varieties that have been foundational to the world’s arabica varieties.
Yemen’s contribution to the history of coffee is significant, and its potential role in the future is equally noteworthy. The ability of Yemeni farmers to grow coffee in seemingly impossible conditions offers valuable insights, especially as other coffee-growing regions face similar challenges due to climate change. The knowledge and techniques developed in Yemen may be crucial for other coffee communities worldwide as they contend with the threat of arabica extinction from climatic stress.
Faris Sheibani, founder and CEO of Qima Coffee, said, “The delicate yet intricate relationship between coffee and climate remains unexplored in the context of Yemen; coffee farmers here have been growing their crops in diverse conditions for generations and possess an intuitive ecological understanding of their fields.
“The incoming challenges from climate change will disproportionately impact their lives and livelihoods, and ripple through the supply chain. Thus, this year’s Best of Yemen goes beyond its identity as an event; it is a call for a more sustainable future that is backed by contemporary scientific research and equitable community action.”
Erwin Mierish, executive director at Cup of Excellence and ACE, said, “Yemen coffee stands as a remarkable testament to quality and resilience; despite the harsh climate and political environment, it continues to deliver a flavour as rich and enduring as its heritage.”
Best of Yemen, a cornerstone of the Yemeni specialty coffee, invites exceptional produce from all corners of the country and presents them to some of the most discerning global buyers through its innovative, online auction platform. As part of Qima’s work to cement an equitable supply chain, the auction returns in its sixth edition envisioning a resilient future for thousands of its participants.
