Producers: Basha Bekele & 126 smallholders
Region: Limmu Kossa
Variety: 74158 (Walega)
Process: Natural
Avg. Altitude: 2215 MASL

Basha Bekele, a proud father of four, comes from a rich lineage of coffee growers and community builders. His father, a former co-op manager in Bombe supplying coffee to the Sidama Union, instilled in Basha both a love for coffee and a passion for community care. Before smallholders could obtain export licenses, the duo sold their coffee cherries to the cooperative. But Basha didn’t stop there. Together with his father, he built a church for their community in Bombe, and now he’s blazing his own trail (did we mention his big 2024 COE win?). Growing primarily the 74158 variety, affectionately called "Walega," Basha tends 12 hectares of semi-forested land and operates bustling collection sites in Bombe, Shantawane, and Kokose, gathering cherries from altitudes as high as 2300 masl.
What truly sets Basha apart is his heart. While cherry prices skyrocketed this year, he went above and beyond by making a second payment to the 126 producers he partnered with after the coffee sold—a gesture that’s as rare as it is generous. Like many smallholders in Bensa, Basha is a master of dry-processed coffee, with a flair for experimenting with anaerobic fermentation. Every step of the way, he ensures top-notch quality, floating cherries to perfection before drying them slowly on raised beds, sometimes under shade. With his dedication to both his craft and his community, his coffee story is worth celebrating.