Globally, coffee production is in danger. An article in The Conversation says climate change will compound the economic problems already faced by coffee farmers around the world.

More frequent rain and increasing droughts brought about by a changing climate have already reduced coffee yields, making it difficult for smallholder farmers to make a living.

In Brazil, 73 per cent of the coffee grown is the Arabica variety which is extremely sensitive to temperature. A 1 degree rise in temperature is predicted to cause a loss of 25 per cent to Brazil’s Arabica coffee production. This threat is driving larger scale coffee producers in Brazil to higher altitudes.

Coffee rust (Hemileia Vastatrix fungus) is another threat, and it thrives in warmer temperatures. The fungus attacks the leaves of the coffee bush, causing coffee beans to fall off before they reach full maturity or leading to poorer bean quality. In Nicaragua, the rust has meant a reduction of coffee yields by 60% and in Colombia, the rust has affected half a million smallholder farming families.

Fungicides and rust resistant trees can help. But in hard hit areas, farmers have to start over and plant new coffee trees.

For the smallholder farmer, moving to higher ground or starting again is often not possible because they lack the finance and know-how. The article says successful coffee agroforestry models need to be “replicated around the world to urgently aid farmers in the tropics suffering from the effects of climate change”.

Read the full story: Climate change is causing havoc for global coffee yields