Suara.com – Climate change is a global phenomenon that is being faced throughout the world. Gradually, this will change many things, even become a threat, including in the coffee industry.
According to World Reowned Commodity Market Analyst, Judith Ganes, currently, long-term concerns are starting to be felt by players in the coffee industry, not only farmers and business people, but also consumers.
This is because the impact of climate change on the coffee industry is very broad, affecting all aspects of the industry from production to consumption.
For example, increasing temperatures and unpredictable rainfall are changing the growing conditions of coffee plants, leading to reduced yields and increased vulnerabilities that coffee plants face, such as pests and disease.
This decline in crop yields can cause price increases for consumers, which in turn can affect coffee demand.
Likewise, changes in the quality of Arabica coffee and other types of coffee beans can influence consumer preferences, potentially causing a shift in the global coffee trade market.
“This change threatens the lives of coffee farmers, because they are also worried about labor shortages and increasing costs. Likewise the quality and availability of coffee for consumers,” he said at the Coffee Indonesia Summit, Monday (23/10/2023) in Newsdelivers.com.
The impact of climate change is clearly visible on coffee plantations, said Philip Nova’s Executive Director, Thair Hussain, specifically in the regions around the equator where most of the world’s coffee plants are grown.
“Increasing temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns also increase pests and diseases in coffee plantations, which of course affects the quality of coffee,” he concluded on the same occasion.
For this reason, joint attention is needed so that the problem can be resolved quickly. Here, even small changes in temperature and rainfall can have a significant impact on coffee production.
As temperatures increase and rainfall becomes more erratic, coffee farmers find it increasingly difficult to grow coffee, causing a decrease in yields and an increase in production costs.
Judith said one of them was the need for more disease-resistant clonal varieties. This is the same as what was quoted on the Rave website regarding approaches that coffee brands can take to mitigate climate change:
• Support sustainable coffee farming practices
Coffee brands can support coffee producers in implementing sustainable farming practices that reduce environmental impact and maintain land quality.
The practices employed by these coffee farmers often include techniques such as agroforestry, cover crops, and shade-grown coffee.
• Investment in infrastructure
Coffee brands can invest in infrastructure projects in coffee producing countries to make coffee production more efficient and effective. This includes investments in irrigation systems, greenhouses, and other tropical farming technologies.
• Invest in climate-smart coffee varieties
Climate smart coffee plants are designed to be resistant to changing conditions and more resilient in the face of climate change. Coffee brands can invest in research and development of these varieties, thereby helping farmers adapt to climate change.
• Work with farmers to build resilience to changing conditions
Coffee brands can also work with farmers to build their capacity and skills to respond to the impacts of climate change. This includes providing access to training, resources and technology that can help farmers adapt more effectively.