Halhal: Promising Development in Coffee Cultivation

Some traces indicate that coffee trees were used to be planted in Halhal. A research conducted to find out whether activities of coffee plantation used to be carried out there or not confirmed the reality of such a clue. Experts in the Ministry of Agriculture then conducted an extensive research to find out an area conducive for coffee plantation. So, areas around Molobso have become pioneers of a pilot project. Four years later, the success of the pilot project convinced farmers who were very reluctant to partake in such plantation activity. Famers in the environs of Halhal are now requesting for seedlings so as to plant coffee trees in their respective farm lands.

The outcome of the pilot project was very satisfactory and is indeed beyond the expectation. “The inhabitants of Halhal area have personally witnessed that the coffee trees planted four years back have given a good yield,” said Mr. Ghirmatsion Abrha, Administrator of Halhal Sub-zone.

Since the pilot project succeeds, making maximum use of the farm areas so far identified to be conducive for coffee plantation is in fact the very assignment of the inhabitants of Halhal and its environs.

Halhal and particularly the area in which the pilot project conducted is situated in the Anseba region about 47 km from Keren. As the inhabitants of Halhal sub-zone earn their living through farming, they could not have difficulties in conducting any farm activity. However, they have never been accustomed to coffee growing and thus were very hesitant to plant coffee trees for they were not certain of its productivity. Hence, the major endeavor on the part of the sub-zone’s administration was to upgrade farmers’ know-how about coffee plantation.

Bearing in mind the satisfactory outcome that could be generated from coffee plantation, a popular campaign in which the inhabitants of Molobso administrative areas took part was conducted. Through the popular campaign 2,000 coffee seedlings have been planted in 2 hectares. The watering and other care have also been taken by the inhabitants of Halhal and such a campaign is still underway.

Popular involvement is the very reason for every success registered in every developmental endeavor.  So, enabling people get involved in every developmental activity is very solution for speedy achievement. Based on this outlook, a total of 12,000 coffee seedlings distributed to every inhabitant of Halhal sub-zone and particularly to farmers.

It is important to notice that if the inhabitants of Halhal start to grow coffee, the farm area of the sub-zone could secure coffee harvest that could suffice demand of the entire country. What the inhabitant of Halhal sub-zone feared about is that the coffee trees could be attacked by termites. Notwithstanding this, the project is still underway for the pilot project has showed an encouraging outcome and for necessary measures to tackle termites attack would be taken.

Millet, sorghum, and barley are among the cereal crops that have been cultivated in the area in large amount. The inhabitants of Halhal sub-zone indeed believed that abundant harvest could be gathered form such crops alone. Such outlook has now been changed and including the 12,000 seedling distributed to the inhabitants so far 14,000 coffee trees have been planted in Halhal sub-zone.

The inhabitants of Halhal sub-zone never thought of planting coffee. Owing to the experiments carried out and the awareness raising programs, the inhabitants are now very eager to grow coffee. Among the inhabitants of Halhal, Miss Reqia Mohammed Osman, who was engaged in the popular campaign said “The first time we heard coffee could grow in this area; we were not certain enough about its possibility. But, ‘seeing is believing’, we are now working together and we are very optimistic to harvest good yield as envisaged.”

Coffee plantation carried out in Halhal Sub-zone has shown promising outcome.  Plans charted out to be carried out in the further include introduction of fruits such as apple and strawberry, planting olive trees and others. What is more is that, the sub-zone plans to plant coffee trees in the rest farm areas of the sub-zone when a research is finalized in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.