Your coffee is at risk from climate change. Can science make new varieties?

Coffee lovers might soon face a bitter reality as climate change threatens the world’s favourite morning brew.

Arabica beans, which make up the majority of global production, are notoriously sensitive to rising temperatures.

However, researchers in Brazil are now turning to rare, wild coffee species to save our daily caffeine fix from extinction.

At the Campinas Agronomy Institute in Brazil, agronomist Oliveiro Guerreiro Filho is leading a mission to remix coffee genetics.

He is working with 15 non-commercial species, including types called racemosa and liberica. These plants are the hardy cousins of the delicate arabica bean.

While they might not all taste great on their own, they carry a secret weapon in their DNA: extreme resilience.

HOW DOES CLIMATE CHANGE THREATEN YOUR COFFEE?

As the planet warms, nearly 20 per cent of current coffee growing land could become useless by 2050.

Heatwaves and erratic rain burn leaves and erode the soil.

Arabica has a very narrow genetic base, meaning it lacks the variety needed to adapt to these shifts.

If a new disease or a heatwave hits, the entire crop is at risk because the plants are too similar to one another.

CAN WILD GENES CREATE A TOUGHER BEAN?

By crossbreeding arabica with wild species, scientists are creating hybrids that can survive a baking Sun.

For instance, the liberica species is famous for its hardiness in hot and dry environments.

Another species, racemosa, is being used to help plants fight off the coffee leaf miner, a tiny moth larva that eats through leaves.

These new varieties act like a software upgrade for coffee, giving it the tools to resist drought and pests.

WHY DOES SAVING COFFEE TAKE SO LONG?

Developing a new hybrid is not an overnight job.

It takes between 20 and 30 years to identify the best plants and test them against harsh conditions.

Scientists at the institute are constantly monitoring environmental shifts to stay ahead.

The goal is to ensure that your future cup of coffee stays affordable and delicious, even in a much hotter world.

- Ends