Wadi Mahyad - Women Producers

Impressions: Papaya, peach cider, elderberry, barley sugar
Roast degree: 2.5/5
Country: Yemen
Governate: Al Mahwit
Village: Wadi Mahyad
Varietal: Yemenia
Process: Alchemy (natural)
Partner importer: Qima Coffee

This is the biggest lot we ever bought from Yemen, and we are so happy to have committed to the community of the Wadi Mahyad village in 2023. Hidden in the mountains of the Mahwit region, this lot is the result of hard work and dedication by a group of 80+ women producers. (also check out the natural lot from the same village)

In Mahwit, eighty percent of the women are directly involved in coffee production. These women handle about sixty percent of the coffee cultivation, a true testament to their vital role in an industry that sustains the community.

Historically, like in many farming communities across the world, these women were confined to secondary roles and their contributions remained largely unrecognized. In recent years, Qima has taken significant steps to support women farmers of the region by introducing focused training programs. They also supported the training of ten female farmers to form a dedicated women’s coffee cooperative. This cooperative represents a turning point, ensuring that the vital contributions of women are formally recognized and celebrated. The cooperative serves as a platform for collaboration, exchange of knowledge and stands as a symbol of the collective resolve of Mahwit’s women.

The Mahwit region is quite cut off and it's hard to find Mahwiti coffee. With the right processing, Qima found the coffee can be excellent and they have been working with smallholders from Wadi Mahyad to access the market with more of their coffees, helping them fetch higher prices (see our transparency report).

Less than three years ago, Qima distributed seedlings in the region and have been interviewing farmers to see how these seedlings were performing. Volumes per tree are up by 50% this year across the community, a great news for farmers!

Mahwit’s journey from neglect to promise testifies to the perseverance, innovation, and community spirit of the region.