Yakob Umer

Regional Researcher | Water Risks and Data Science Specialist at IWMI-South Africa

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

El Niño and Ethiopia’s Green Gold
Photos from the lower escarpment of the Harenna Forest in Bale, Ethiopia, show coffee Arabica trees under visible moisture stress following a prolonged dry spell. With rainfall largely absent since late July and the expected August - September rains failing to arrive, immature coffee beans appear to be ripening prematurely and dropping before reaching full maturity—a potential warning sign for coffee yield and quality if dry conditions persist.
Coffee is Ethiopia’s green gold—supporting millions of livelihoods and playing a critical role in the country’s economy and export earnings. The consequences of climate stress therefore extend far beyond the coffee tree: from household incomes and rural livelihoods, national economic resilience, and the global coffee market.
The good news is that coffee growing deeper within the main forest appears more resilient, likely benefiting from the forest’s cooler, more humid microclimate and greater moisture retention. This striking contrast highlights the protective role of intact forest ecosystems in buffering climate extremes.
What we see in the Harenna Forest is a local signal of a much bigger global challenge: when climate extremes intensify, the health of forests becomes inseparable from the resilience of people, economies, and global food and commodity systems.
#ElNino #Ethiopia #GreenGold #Coffee #HarennaForest #Bale #ClimateChange #ClimateResilience #ForestConservation #CoffeeFarmers

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

I genuinely appreciate your call for peace in Ethiopia, and I agree—there is no better option at this point. But you know Ethiopian politics and how regional governments operate. Given your experience and influence, the TPLF is likely to listen to you more than most. So, please use that influence where it matters most: urge them to choose the path of peace, dialogue, and reconciliation over another war. Ethiopia cannot afford to repeat the same tragedy.

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@MailSport Pape completely outfoxed Arteta with that goalkeeper swap

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@Chakham_Analyst @RTErdogan At least not this time. It seems the president is in Addis to pressure Abiy over his geopolitical ambitions—especially since his original itinerary started with the UAE...and I think not different from the KSA`s foreign minister's visit

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@AFTVMedia He's not a champion minded player

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@ThomasVLinge Rubbish 🗑

[IWMI @IWMI_]

How can climate forecasts truly help farmers plan and manage water?

🌱 In Chisamba, experts from ZMD and IWMI equipped agricultural officers to turn seasonal forecasts into clear, actionable guidance that smallholders can use with confidence. 👉 https://t.co/EXRxmrtKR1

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@JMichael_Smith Bale zone - Haranna. South of the Sidama region

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@JMichael_Smith Just read it—this is excellent. Arden Coffee Export sets the standard by putting the community at the center of the value chain. Sadly, many in Ethiopia do the opposite. Growing up in a coffee-producing community, I understand farmers’ struggles deeply.

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@AbiyAhmedAli This is massive ...“Intra-African investment is a game changer — it not only drives growth in agriculture but also unlocks access to some of Africa’s fastest-growing markets.”

[IWMI @IWMI_]

📢What does it take to act before crisis strikes in fragile, violent, and conflict-affected places?

Find out at the official launch of a new toolkit to advance Anticipatory Action in Fragile and Conflict-affected Settings, on April 30.

🔗 https://t.co/qsY9G1BqDY

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@KGeorgieva @AbiyAhmedAli @MoF_Ethiopia @mihretum Ena mesegnalen

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@FTsehaya ...Also opportunity for Coffee market... Colombia increases their coffee price coz of tariff...means global ☕️ market projected to be higher 👌

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

An innovative index-based flood insurance (IBFI) pilot is now protecting smallholder farmers in the Magoye River Catchment with timely payouts based on satellite data & flood models. #ClimateAction #FloodInsurance #Zambia

https://t.co/Q2BHVSUJSI

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@AbiyAhmedAli Buna akka qamadiitti?? worri baddaa gaaffii keessa seene

[Yakob Umer @UmerYM]

@AbiyAhmedAli @Webuild_Group RIP ....your legacy will be remembered by generations

[Inga Jacobs-Mata @Inga_JM]

@CGIAR colleagues and partners that have become the dearest of friends. Thank you to our teams in #Ethiopia for organizing an incredible Pause&Reflect for the #UUInitiative. Now for the final stretch to the finish line... https://t.co/sMi92zilFN

[Inga Jacobs-Mata @Inga_JM]

Saluting the @CGIAR #WomenAndGirlsInScience who inspire me everyday through #UUInitiative and @CGIARAfrica. @IWMI_ @IWMI_SouthernZA @ILRI @BiovIntCIAT_eng #WGS24 #WGS2024