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Urgent Adaptations Needed for Sustainable Coffee Production

By Peter Ngare

Coffee farmers in Kenya and other producing countries in Africa, Asia and South America are faced with the threat of losing livelihoods due to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts.

According to Thang Nam Do, a Fellow at the Crawford School of Public Policy and the Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions of Australian National University, coffee plants are highly sensitive to climatic changes and the increasing heat can impair their growth, reduce yields and lower the quality of the beans.

“Pests like the coffee berry borer, which thrive in warmer conditions, are further exacerbating the situation, leading to significant crop losses. By 2050, up to 50 per cent of land suitable for coffee cultivation may be lost due to climate change,” notes Nam.

“The long-term implications of climate change for the coffee industry are concerning. As climate conditions worsen, the supply of coffee is likely to shrink. Persistent climate challenges could render coffee farming unsustainable, forcing small farmers to abandon cultivation.

“Rising prices are unlikely to attract new farmers. Growing coffee under harsh conditions such as droughts would require significant capital investment in infrastructure like irrigation systems. Adapting by diversifying crops and practicing agroforestry is crucial but requires resources that many small farmers lack. Millions in developing economies will suffer as small-scale farmers produce about 70 per cent of the world’s coffee, with over 120 million people relying on coffee production for their livelihood,” says Nam in an article in CAN.

“Technological advancements offer hope as breeding new coffee varieties could increase yields while reducing land competition. But challenges persist. Small-scale farmers often lack information on the long-term performance of hybrids.

“High seedling cost and delayed returns deter investment and expanding hybrid nurseries to reach all coffee-growing areas, especially remote regions, will require significant resources and time. This includes investing in the research and development of climate-resilient coffee varieties, providing financial and technical assistance to farmers, promoting practices like intercropping under shade trees, and improving infrastructure to manage water resources more sustainably,” says Nam

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