As we say goodbye to the hottest summer on
record
and work to recover from the latest floods,
wildfires
and other devastating climate-fueled
disasters
while bracing for more, commodity farmers are feeling the effects of climate
change on a daily basis — as their livelihoods are threatened by drought, pests,
crop diseases, increased temperatures and extreme weather events like never
before.
A critical part of climate-proofing our global food system will be
diversification; and the growing effort to do so is happening in a variety of
forms — including efforts to increase the popularity of alternatives to global
staple
foods;
developing drought-resistant varieties of staple crops such as
beans;
and even developing less climate-vulnerable versions to our favorite foods —
including animal-free
dairy,
meat
and
seafood;
vegan
honey,
bean-less
coffee
and cacao-free
chocolate.
Starbucks announced today it is taking action in
the name of coffee lovers everywhere by creating six new, climate-resistant
coffee tree varietals — all of which produce Arabica, one of the two most
popular beans (along with Robusta), which are particularly vulnerable to
climate
change
— and giving them away for free to farmers around the world. Developed over a
decade of research and testing by the Starbucks agronomy team, the company says
the new varietals are naturally resistant to diseases such as coffee leaf rust
and some impacts of climate change, while also delivering excellent taste and
high yield.
The work is part of Starbucks' broader effort to deliver carbon-neutral green coffee by 2030.
the exciting potential of cultivated, fermented and plant-based protein innovation
Join us as Aleph Farms, the Better Meat Co, the Good Food Institute and Plantible Foods discuss the latest advancements in cultivated, plant-based, and fermentation-derived proteins — and how incorporating alternative proteins can help brands significantly reduce environmental impacts, while conserving natural resources — Tuesday, Oct. 15 at SB'24 San Diego.
The varietals were developed at Hacienda
Alsacia, Starbucks global research and
development facility and farm in Costa Rica, where the company’s agronomy
team’s primary focus is to better understand the challenges coffee farmers face
and promote sustainable models of farm management. Since 2005, Starbucks
agronomists have been advancing work on tree breeding to develop more productive
and more resilient coffee trees. To date, the team says it has researched,
developed and improved upon hundreds of hybrids and varietals.
Climate-proofing coffee
“We put our efforts up against the development of climate-resistant trees,”
Michelle Burns,
Starbucks’ EVP of global coffee, social impact and sustainability, told The Seattle Times.
“Very specifically, developing new tree varietals in a way that ensures that
they are more resistant to the impact of climate.”
According to World Coffee
Research,
climate change is the greatest long-term threat to the long-term sustainability
of coffee agriculture and to the preservation of the rich diversity of coffee
origins that exists today; impacts will vary by region. To develop the stronger
coffee strains — which are particularly resistant to coffee rust — the Starbucks
agronomy team planted and developed several varietals and hybrids and monitored
them for at least six generations, which takes about 12 years.
From the coffee trees or seedlings, the team sends leaf clippings for analysis
to a lab for early genetic clues about which trees are more resistant to common
diseases; then, they test to see how they process and absorb nutrients;
physically examine root systems and leaf structures; and taste early samples
from those producing coffee cherries. The team also evaluates the cup profile
(the coffee’s acidity, body and complexity) with Starbucks partners from
Colombia, Costa Rica, Seattle and Switzerland.
Once the team selects the varietals that are most naturally resistant to coffee
diseases and climate change, and have excellent taste and high productivity,
they are distributed through Starbucks’ seed program to suppliers and farmers;
to date, the company says more than three million seeds, including the six
varietals, have been distributed to coffee farmers in China, Costa Rica,
Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua and
Peru — whether they sell to Starbucks or not.
Along with the potential rise of another climate-resistant bean called
Liberica being cultivated in
Uganda,
Starbucks’ new Arabica varieties could help safeguard the future of one of our
most beloved beverages.
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Sep 26, 2023 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST