Melaku Tadesse

A pioneering Ethiopian coffee farmer who revolutionized fair trade practices through cooperative farming

Melaku Tadesse (born 1968) is a visionary agricultural leader from Ethiopia who founded the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, fundamentally transforming Ethiopia's coffee industry. His work has enabled smallholder farmers to bypass exploitative middlemen, achieving unprecedented global market access. Through innovative cooperative models, Tadesse secured premium prices for organic and shade-grown coffees, elevating living standards for over 200,000 farmers across 120 cooperatives. His 2002 establishment of the first African coffee export cooperative broke colonial-era trade patterns, creating a blueprint for equitable global trade practices. Tadesse's advocacy led to Ethiopia's first Fair Trade certification in 2004 and inspired similar movements across Africa. His leadership was recognized by the World Bank and featured in the documentary Black Gold (2006), which exposed coffee industry inequities. Today, his union exports 12 million kilograms annually, with proceeds funding schools, healthcare, and environmental projects. Tadesse's model demonstrates how grassroots organizing can challenge global commodity chains, making him a pivotal figure in fair trade history.