Dubai, January 27, 2024 (QW): In the rugged terrains of Yemen, where societal constraints often hinder women from pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors, a story of flexibility, wisdom, and determination has emerged. This is the inspirational journey of Fatima AbdulKhabeer, a Yemeni woman hailing from highly conservative rural areas, who defied social norms and founded a pioneering women’s agricultural association in the famous Sabr Mountain in Taiz Province, Yemen.
Fatima Abdul Khabeer’s remarkable journey garnered significant attention at the World of Coffee Dubai 2024, where she shared her journey from the inception of the association to its accomplishments up to the present.
Foundation Years
In 2001, the “Talouq Feminine Association” was established, and over the years, the association grew to include 70 members engaged in coffee cultivation and production.
The association successfully implemented various projects, including a post-harvest coffee technology project funded by the French Embassy, amounting to approximately 250,000 USD. Additionally, they constructed 45 rainwater harvesting tanks and provided specialized training for over 400 farmers.
In 2009, Fatima Abdul Khabeer traveled to Germany, a journey that facilitated connections with foreign companies and marked a qualitative leap in understanding the importance of coffee quality, flavors, tasting techniques, and different aromas.
In 2010, she participated in the Second International Coffee Conference in Yemen, showcasing Talouq Valley’s coffee products and establishing partnerships, notably with “Mokha 1450,” a pivotal collaboration that began in 2013.
In 2014, Fatima embarked on a second journey to Ethiopia with the aim of exchanging experiences with Ethiopian coffee farmers and specialized associations.
Things were progressing well until 2015 when a dramatic shift occurred. Political conflicts intensified in Yemen, escalating into a war, bringing work to a complete halt. However, Fatima’s journey did not stop. Since 2017, she has led trips and visits to share experiences and transfer knowledge to farmers from various regions.
In 2022, the impact of climate change on farms became noticeable, prompting the association to monitor and track changes in coffee production caused by climate variations.
In 2023, the association received training from theSpecialty Coffee Association, initiating the peeling and cleaning operations for farmers from different regions with the goal of supporting exports.
At the Dubai Coffee World Exhibition 2024, Fatima AbdulKhabeer highlighted the current challenges facing Yemeni coffee farmers, including armed conflicts, climate change impacts, limited funding and support for farmers’ needs, export and marketing difficulties, and unfair competition from local traders.
She also outlined the stages of obtaining specialty coffee in Yemen:
- Pre-Harvest: Monitoring fruits in farms, protecting them from pests and nutritional deficiencies.
- Harvest: Careful selection and harvesting of ripe coffee beans.
- Drying: Sun-drying coffee beans on beds while controlling temperature and humidity to maintain quality.
- Storage: Appropriate storage conditions to preserve flavors and aromas, avoiding excessive heat, moisture, and odors.
Fatima AbdulKhabeer proudly stopped at some success stations in her career, as in 2017 she achieved third place in UAE Ibrik Championship , and in 2017 she achieved first place in the same tournament and fourth place in 2018.
Fatima AbdulKhabeer concluded her presentation by providing an overview of the current status of specialty coffee in Yemen, emphasizing that Yemen lacks sufficient expertise in preparing specialty coffee. Nevertheless, some regions have initiated serious efforts by training farmers, purchasing their crops, and selling them to external companies specializing in coffee.
