Addis Ababa – Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has called for Eswatini to expand its coffee farming sector after a visit to Jimma District in Ethiopia’s Oromia Region on Thursday.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Labour and Social Security Minister Phila Buthelezi during the visit, where they were hosted by Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture and the Governor of the state.
Jimma, known globally as the birthplace of coffee, demonstrated to the Eswatini delegation how the crop supports livelihoods for local communities, especially the youth, through agroforestry and integrated farming methods. 
Dlamini said the tour lasted from morning until late afternoon, during which he sampled six cups of the strong Ethiopian brew. He described the hospitality of the Jimma people as warm and welcoming.
He noted that Eswatini has the potential to harness coffee production as a new driver of economic growth, pointing to lessons learnt in Ethiopia as a guide for how the crop can benefit both farmers and the wider economy.
