Khat In Ethiopia: Taking the Place of Food

Khat is a psychoactive shrub whose tender leaves and twigs have been chewed for their euphonising effects in the Horn of Africa and on the Arabian Peninsula for over a millennium. Originally grown in small gardens for occasional consumption, khat has now become a sought-after drug - and, with it, an important, income-generating product for millions of Ethiopians. Gebissa’s collection of essays explores this shift from small-scale farming to high-value cash crop agriculture that has taken place in many parts of Ethiopia.