Gechi (woreda)

Gechi is one of the woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Illubabor Zone, Gechi is bordered on the south by Didessa, on the east by the Jimma Zone, on the north by Bedele, and on the east by the Didessa River which separates it from the Jimma Zone. Gechi is the major town in Gechi. Borecha woreda was part of Gechi.

Coffee is an important cash crop of this woreda. Between 20 and 50 square kilometers are planted with this crop.

This woreda was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2004 as one of several areas for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas. Gechi became the new home for a total of 17,395 heads of households and 2048 total family members.

Demographics

The 2007 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 70,478, of whom 35,307 were men and 35,171 were women; 5,442 or 7.72% of its population were urban dwellers. The majority of the inhabitants were Moslem, with 87.7% of the population reporting they observed this belief, while 10.58% of the population said they practised Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 1.66% were Protestant.