Is coffee facing extinction?

International Coffee Day was recently celebrated worldwide, but amid the festivities looms a troubling threat to the future of the beverage that many of us can't imagine life without. 

Climate change is endangering coffee production, and the entire coffee industry, from farmers to baristas, is grappling with this challenge.

Coffee research: Plant is delicate

Researcher Von Leuven from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research in Germany has issued a sobering prediction: By 2050, the areas suitable for coffee cultivation could be reduced by half.

This grim forecast, if realized, will particularly impact nations like Vietnam and Brazil, the two largest coffee producers globally.

Von Leuven attributes this impending crisis to the delicate nature of the coffee plant itself.

It is a small and susceptible plant, susceptible to extreme heat, excessive dryness, or excessive humidity. It demands specific shade conditions and nutrient-rich soil, he explained. Minor environmental shifts can directly affect coffee bean yield and quality. High temperatures significantly stress the plant, potentially causing damage.

Holger Preibisch, CEO of the German Coffee Association in Hamburg, underscored the vulnerability of coffee by saying that coffee is an extremely delicate commodity, grown exclusively in specific regions worldwide, within what is referred to as the coffee belt encircling the equator.

Farmers have traditionally practiced mixed farming to safeguard these critical agricultural zones, involving the simultaneous cultivation of coffee trees alongside other crops. Preibisch notes that this method protects against adverse weather conditions like wind and excessive sunlight.

Another potential solution involves the development of new coffee species with increased climate resilience. 

Preibisch said that coffee remains one of the least researched. 

Two varieties of coffee: Arabica and Robusta

He points out that most coffee consumption relies on two varieties: Arabica and Robusta.

Von Leuven noted that there are approximately 130 known wild coffee species in nature. Some species exhibit excellent resistance to heat and specific pests, making them suitable for direct cultivation or hybrid development.

Nonetheless, it is crucial to recognize that this is not a swift fix. Coffee plants take three years to yield their first crop and have an average productive lifespan of three decades.