Robusta coffee climate resilience questioned by new study

A study published in the Wiley journal Sustainable Development challenges the widely held belief that robusta coffee is more resilient to climate change than other coffee varieties, according to research released on Thursday. Lead author Aaron Davis, senior research leader at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, dismissed the notion as an internet myth that emerged roughly a decade ago.

Earlier studies, he claimed, contained errors that overlooked robusta's vulnerability to drought and treated irrigated farms as ideal growing conditions. Robusta, often considered a lower-quality alternative to arabica beans, constitutes a significant share of the global coffee supply, with Vietnam and Brazil being the primary producers.

The study's findings pose a challenge to those promoting robusta as a solution for the coffee industry's adaptation to changing climate conditions. As demand for robusta increases, this shift in understanding could impact farmers, traders, and consumers. A Vietnamese coffee official recently emphasized that climate change adaptation has become an immediate priority for maintaining production levels.

The researchers concluded that previous assessments of robusta's climate resilience should be treated with caution. Media outlets, farmers, and researchers have often cited robusta's heat tolerance as the coffee sector's response to climate challenges.