The Coffee Climate

supporting long-term sustainability of coffee at origin

Climate change is shifting the coffee harvest

Our African coffee producers are increasingly having to adapt to changes in the climate that are affecting the timing of their coffee harvest. Early harvesting is being reported in Rwanda and Burundi following unseasonably early rains last year which accelerated flowering. While in Mozambique, thousands have been displaced by flooding of the Limpopo river, with homes uninhabitable. This extreme weather and high humidity will impact the crop in this area and evaluations are ongoing as to how much of the coffee is still viable. In contrast, South Sudan experienced average daily temperatures of 50 degrees, requiring the team to experiment with shade nets to slow the drying process.

The latest reports are that following the early rains last year, there is now a bumper harvest in Burundi, with almost double the number of cherries being processed as the year before. These fluctuations in yield create their own problems for the farmers, as they have to work hard to get everything processed, dried and milled efficiently. New strategies are also needing to be developed in Rwanda where the harvest is so big that it has required the construction of extra space to allow storage of almost dry parchment coffee to free up space on the drying beds.

Adapting to the New coffee Climate

Education and investment is vital to secure the coffee crop

Investing in the education of farmers so they can adapt to these changing conditions is key. Omwani’s Producer-Led projects gives agency to the producers on the ground so that they can steer funding to the areas that will benefit them the most.

Current projects include:

  • Building local coffee nurseries to help cultivate healthy seedlings and shade plants in Uganda
  • Providing water systems for the local community in Burundi
  • Educating the next generation of farmers by creating a youth cooperative in Rwanda, and
  • Cultivating new varietals in Kenya that are more climate resistant

Our founder, Colin, has been talking to Beverage Daily’s Rachel Arthur about the issues that the coffee industry faces as the weather becomes more unpredictable.

You can read more about it in her article “Can Coffee Weather the Storm?“

There’s a huge role for education, collaboration and long-term partnerships. Supporting growers with access to agronomy expertise, regenerative farming practices, water management systems and climate-resilient crop strategies can make a real difference

Colin Hall, Cupper’s Journey Founder