Coffee is facing major challenges. Climate change, new diseases and pests are making coffee farming increasingly difficult around the world, threatening the livelihoods of millions of coffee farmers. Addressing these challenges in the long term requires research, innovation and international collaboration. This is where World Coffee Research (WCR) comes in.
Since 2020, we have been working with the non-profit organisation to support its mission to secure the future of coffee through scientific research and the development of resilient coffee varieties. Every year, we provide targeted support for projects that help farmers, researchers and entire coffee-growing regions adapt to the challenges of the future.
You’re in a hurry? Read here what we achieved together.
What does World Coffee Research do?
Developing new coffee varieties is an investment in the future – and a process that would normally take decades. World Coffee Research, however, is showing that it can be done faster. Since 2012, the organisation has been developing new climate-resilient coffee varieties that deliver high yields, are resistant to diseases and, at the same time, offer excellent quality. To accelerate this process, WCR works with research institutions and breeding programmes around the world, promoting the open exchange of knowledge and genetic material. Through innovative methods such as “Speed Breeding”, WCR is also reducing the breeding process from around 30 years to approximately six.
A particular focus is placed on eleven strategically selected coffee-producing countries: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
The Journey Towards the Coffee Varieties of the Future
Today, a team of 27 people is shaping the future of coffee together with an international network of research institutions and partner organisations. But the journey already began during the last century:
1950s: A Portuguese breeding programme develops coffee leaf rust-resistant varieties, which are grown across Latin America over the following decades.
2000s: The demands placed on coffee varieties become significantly more complex: they need to be resistant to diseases and climate stress, deliver high yields and consistently produce excellent-quality coffee. Existing varieties cannot meet all these requirements.
2012: World Coffee Research begins developing new varieties capable of meeting these demands.
2022: 29 coffee families are distributed for testing around the world.
2028: Promising varieties are expected to be selected based on the data collected, for field trials in Latin America.
2037: The new, climate-resilient coffee varieties are expected to become available to farmers worldwide.
Sharing Knowledge, Shaping the Future The African Breeders Hub
One of the first projects in our collaboration was supporting the African Breeders Hub. The program brings together coffee breeders and researchers from various African countries to exchange knowledge, data and scientific methods.
Why is this important? Developing new coffee varieties is a long-term process. At the same time, conditions on farms are already changing today. The exchange between experts from countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi lays the vital foundations for breeding resilient coffee varieties that meet both the needs of farmers and the expectations of consumers.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the second African Breeders Hub was successfully held virtually in 2020. Collaboration between breeders was strengthened, new scientific tools were introduced and long-term partnerships were established.
In-Depth Climate Research and Smart Strategies
In 2024, our support focused on the „Coffee R&D and Climate Modelling“ project. Two key areas were prioritised.
- Firstly, World Coffee Research supported the expansion of the national coffee breeding program in Ethiopia. Together with partners such as the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), strategies were developed to identify new, climate-resilient coffee varieties and ensure their long-term availability. At the same time, WCR held discussions with international organisations and donors to secure additional support for the future of the coffee sector in Ethiopia.
- Secondly, World Coffee Research worked on an innovative platform that links climate, yield and environmental data. The aim was to provide farmers with data-driven support in selecting the coffee varieties best suited to their region. To this end, global datasets were consolidated and predictive models were developed that take into account factors such as rainfall, heat stress and disease risks.
“Thanks to organisations such as Coffee Circle and our global network of implementation partners, we are able to drive forward this joint effort to shape the future of coffee.”
– Dr Vern Long, CEO of World Coffee Research
© World Coffee Research
What We Achieved Together
The work of World Coffee Research often has a long-term impact – many results only become apparent years later. Nevertheless, important objectives have already been achieved:
- Establishing, strengthening and scientifically evaluating national breeding programs in countries such as Ethiopia and Uganda, which have enabled concrete improvement measures to be implemented.
- Promoting the exchange of knowledge between breeders and researchers from several African coffee-growing countries.
- Support in securing funding and grants for future research and development programs.
- Development of new tools and data sets to better prepare farmers for the impacts of climate change.
- Development of CafeClima, a digital tool that combines climate, yield and environmental data and helps farmers select the most suitable coffee varieties for their location.
- Accelerating coffee breeding through the development of innovative technology that enables promising crosses to be identified at an early stage. This allows resources to be deployed more effectively and new, climate-resilient varieties to be developed more quickly.
- Investing in research centres and seed systems to ensure that healthy and high-performing plants find their way onto farms.
These advances benefit not only researchers and institutions, but also, in the long term, thousands of coffee farmers worldwide.
Shaping the Future with Strong Partnerships
The challenges facing coffee cultivation will continue to grow in the coming years. This makes strong partnerships that combine research, innovation and practical solutions all the more important.
We are proud to have been supporting WCR on this journey since 2020. The successes achieved so far demonstrate just how important long-term investment in science and collaboration is. And this is only the beginning.
We look forward to continuing to work alongside World Coffee Research in the future to ensure that coffee is preserved for future generations – both as a means of livelihood and a moment of enjoyment.
