Among the many threats posedby climate change is the huge impact that it will likely have on agriculture. Experts predictthat this phenomenonwill lead to greater crop failures and lower crop yields. Included in the list of agricultural products affected are coffee beans. While this may not seem as concerningas the reduced supply of wheat, rice, or other important food staples, it has certainly caught the attention of American coffee giant Starbucks.
Starbucks, which buys about 3% of all the coffee beans grown across the globe, is taking matters into its own hands. For over a decade, the company has been researching how to grow coffee trees quickly and have them yieldhigh amounts under extremeweather conditions. These efforts paid offafter Starbucks successfully developed six climatechange- resistantvarietiesof coffee. The new varietiesareall related tothe arabicabean, which makes up70% of global coffee production. Arabica is favoredbecause of its smooth and fruityflavor, low acidity, and lower bitternesslevels compared to other varieties, such as liberica and robusta. However, the arabica bean is easily affected by coffee leaf rust, a serious fungaldisease that leads to prematureleaf fall. Scientists believe that as the world’s climate continues to change, these beans will be more vulnerableto this disease.
