Your morning coffee may be in jeopardy as climate change poses a growing threat to coffee cultivation. While coffee prices have surged over the past decade, the bigger concern lies in the fragility of the two commercially grown coffee species, arabica and robusta.
Both are struggling to adapt to changing climates, with half of the current coffee-growing regions projected to become unsuitable by 2050. This crisis affects not only coffee drinkers but also the 100 million people who depend on the industry for their livelihoods, particularly small-scale farmers.
However, there’s a glimmer of hope in wild coffee species that boast natural resistance to rising temperatures, drought, and pests.
One such species, Híbrido de Timor, is a naturally occurring hybrid of arabica and robusta, discovered growing wild in Timor-Leste. Recognizing its potential, scientists and entrepreneurs Sophie von Loeben and Timothy Charlton launched HyCoffee in 2019, bringing these resilient beans to Europe while advocating for a more sustainable coffee trade.
The couple’s mission goes beyond introducing wild coffee to new markets. They aim to rethink coffee production by promoting agroforestry – a model that integrates coffee trees into diverse forest systems.
This approach can enhance biodiversity, reduce deforestation, and improve resilience to climate change. Additionally, they’re working with Ugandan farmers to improve the market for drought- and pest-resistant Liberica coffee, challenging conventional scoring systems that undervalue lesser-known varieties.
Within our .earth tribe, there are several .earth organizations highlighting the perks of coffee growing initiatives, including:
- Green.Earth: This organization covered a sustainability initiative focusing on increasing community income by providing coffee seedlings to rural farmers in Uganda via a ‘mother garden’ so they can grow coffee trees and sell the coffee produced. Learn more here.
- SenecaImpact.Earth: Seneca Impact Advisors gave some insight in this article on how shade grown coffee is profitable and planet-friendly. Learn more here.
- Planet2050.Earth: This .earth organization launched a unique Regenerative Coffee Insetting Program with Coffee Impact Collective focusing on the creation of a digital infrastructure connecting carbon and biodiversity projects with sustainably-driven stakeholders in the coffee and cocoa value chains. Learn more here.
Is your organization involved in growing coffee beans as a sustainable initiative? The .earth web domain is ideal for enhancing your brands and communicating your mission of creating a safer planet through platforms for social and environmental activism.
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To learn more about the .earth domain, visit Voices.Earth. In addition, many organizations and individuals are sharing their voices about the benefits of a .earth domain in our Voices.Earth podcast series.
