Climate change threatens the future of coffee
By 2050, 50 percent of the areas used for coffee cultivation could disappear. The two largest coffee producers, Brazil and Vietnam, would be particularly affected.
Monday, November 15, 2021
Will we soon have to give up our daily morning coffee? It is uncertain whether it will turn out that bad. In any case, a study from 2014 indicates that close to 50 percent of the acreage that is suitable for growing the two varieties Arabica and Robusta could disappear by 2050. The price of coffee is also expected to increase. The reason for this is climate change. Although coffee production could move further north in the future, this would have bitter consequences for existing coffee farmers. An estimated 100 million people are involved in coffee production worldwide. Many millions also work in processing and trade. Already today, the working conditions are in some cases precarious. There is a risk that the situation could worsen further.
Global breeding network
Due to climate change, the growing conditions for crops are changing, in some cases drastically. Therefore, new varieties must be bred with properties that, for example, can still be exposed to greater heat and water scarcity. The organization “World Coffee Research” is launching a global breeding network next year with the aim of promoting modern plant breeding technologies in producer countries. Research is also carried out into which newly bred varieties grow best in which environment.
New varieties thanks to genome editing
With genome editing, decaffeinated coffee, which is often unsatisfactory in taste, could be made tastier. In a gfs survey that asked about Swiss consumers’ acceptance of genome editing for various purposes, this probably failed as a “pure lifestyle purpose”. However, applications that make plants more resistant to climate change were very clearly supported by 76 percent.
Related articles
‘No genetic engineering’ is simply not an option!
For years, politicians and environmental organisations have been stirring up unnecessary fears about a technology that has been helping to conserve resources and protect the environment for decades, while improving the quality and tolerability of food and cosmetics. It is time to put an end to this consumer deception.
«The protection of cultures is no longer guaranteed»
Swiss agriculture is in a tight spot when it comes to crop protection. At the Swiss-Food Talk on July 1, 2025, three producer representatives described how bans, the lack of alternatives, and lengthy approval procedures are putting pressure on their crops.
Chasing Misinformation Feels Like Herding Cats
Science fiction has a way of masquerading as science fact — until someone like me comes with a bucket of cold, hard evidence. But let’s be real: debunking nonsense takes exponentially more effort than producing it. Jonathan Swift knew it in 1710, and here I am, centuries later, still speaking my truth before the next viral misinformation dumpster fire.
Climate protection must not jeopardise food security
Agriculture is increasingly under pressure to become climate-neutral. But how can this be achieved without jeopardising food security? In the agricultural policy podcast, Hannah von Ballmoos-Hofer, head of the energy division at the Swiss Farmers' Union, emphasises that climate protection is important, but must not come at the expense of food security.