Bench Maji Zone - Overview

Overview

Bench Maji has 290 kilometers of all-weather roads and 142 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 22 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. The highest point in this Zone is Mount Guraferda (2494 meters).

The main food crops in this Zone include maize, godere (Taro root), and enset, while sorghum, teff, wheat and barley are cultivated to a significant extent. Although cattle, shoats and poultry are produced in limited numbers, meat and milk are very much appreciated. Cash crops include fruits (bananas, pineapples, oranges) and spices (e.g. coriander and ginger); honey is also an important local source of income. However, coffee is the primary cash crop. The Central Statistical Agency (CSA) reported that 10,097 tons of coffee were produced in Bench Maji in the year ending in 2005, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 10.6% of the SNNPRs output and 4.4% of Ethiopia's total output.