TRACEABILITY
Sanaf
Sanaf is one of the oldest coffee growing villages in Haraaz. The majority of Sanaf is located about 2070 masl, leading to different soil pH that contribute to the complex flavour of the coffee grown here. It is said that this coffee growing community has some of the oldest coffee trees in Yemen, a few over 150 years old. Corn, barley and lentils are also grown in this village.
Haraaz
Haraaz is an ancient, mountainous region in the governorate of Sana’a, and is home to some of Yemen’s best, and oldest, coffee growing communities. The area has fertile, lush valleys and highlands where many different types of crops are grown. Farmers plant their crops in terraces here, and apart from coffee, they also grow alfalfa for livestock, millets and lentils.
The region houses roughly 140,000 people, with at least 1,500 families financially dependent on coffee farming.
In terms of volume, Haraaz is Yemen’s largest coffee producing region due to the presence of a large network of coffee nurseries across the region. The stratospheric altitudes, where the coffee is grown, adds to the unique flavour profile of Haraazi coffee. Farmers also believe that Haraazi coffee is distinctive because of the region’s fertile soil. It is interesting to note that a large share of Haraazi coffee is specialty grade.
Sanaa
The governorate of Sana’a not only has the biggest share of specialty coffee production, in both quality and quantity in Yemen but also has one of the longest continuous coffee cultures in the world. Much of the coffee consumed in Sana’a is prepared using the traditional Ibrik method, brewing coffee in a copper or silver pot over hot charcoals.
