Knowledge and practices related to cultivating Khawlani coffee beans
Through minor farming tasks, the youth in the Jazan region follow in their elders’ footsteps in planting and harvesting Khawlani beans, altogether inheriting an ancestral knowledge around cultivating the Khawlani coffee beans.
The Khawlani coffee beans are grown on mountain altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 1,800 meters above sea level, on agricultural terraces.
Men and women both roast then grind the beans used to make the coffee, and farmers in the community exchange respective knowledge through frequent social visits.
Through non-formal education methods (such as observation, imitation and participation), over 300 years of skills and techniques revolving around the cultivation of Khawlani coffee beans are being passed from one generation to another.
With the increase of coffee tree lands in the area, some youth from non-practicing families have become apprentices of master farmers to learn the skills and know-how of cultivating the Khawlani coffee beans even though it is not practiced in their family. This enables them to have their own farms in the future.
As coffee is a symbol of generosity in Saudi Arabia, the practitioners and bearers showcase this through their dedication and their passion for this practice.
For the community of Khawlan, it is socially important to prepare coffee for their visitors and guests using the coffee beans harvested from their farms, because it is a sign of honor and respect.
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Knowledge and practices related to cultivating Khawlani coffee beans