CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE THREAT TO COFFEE

Coffee is one of the world’s most important crops, providing a livelihood to millions of small farmers globally. 

A new study has shown that, due to global warming, areas suitable for growing coffee will significantly reduce. Estimates show growing regions of Arabica beans such as in Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam and Colombia will all “drastically drop” by around 50% by 2050. The report shows more must be done to support farmers during this time.
Coffee is one of the most susceptible crops to increased temperatures and reductions in rainfall. Its anticipated that some growing areas that are at the northern and southern tips of traditional global growing zones may become more suitable for coffee crops, such as Argentina, South Africa, China and New Zealand among others.

But the report states that these potential new areas won’t be quick to establish in the near future.

The research has been published in the journal Plos One.