Yields are extremely small, as growing in the wild the coffee has to compete with other understorey shrubs, climbing lianas, mid and high canopy trees.
Despite the low yields and often challenging terrain, local residents travel deep into te forest to harvest the wild coffee cherries. Once harvested, these are sorted, dried in the sun and brought to cooperatives for onward sale. In addition to harvesting the cherries for sale, seedlings and saplings are grown from the wild coffee and are transplanted into the more cultivated areas of forest which border the wild forest, thus helping to preserve the genetic origins of this important species. No pesticides or herbicides are used in the harvesting or cultivation of the wild and forest coffee. Collection and sale of the coffee provides important sources of income for residents.