World's best coffee producing plantations are facing a dark future. They will be destroyed by the Coffee berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampei), unless preventive measures are taken. Scientists who made me nervous two years ago with their findings on this coffee destroyer bug, now provide additional evidence about the impact of this beetle and predict further future spread. This does not look promising for coffee lovers, absolutely not.
Based on climate change scenarios they predict that calculated hypothetical number of generations per year of H. hampei will increase in all arabica coffee (the best coffee there is!)producing areas from five to ten. These outcomes will have serious implications for arabica coffee production and livelihoods in East Africa. The scientists suggest that the best way to adapt to a rise of temperatures in coffee plantations could be via the introduction of shade trees in sun grown plantations. Furthermore they draft an outline for the development of an adaptation strategy package for climate change on coffee production. I would like to call on all - governments, NGOs, fellow coffee lovers, anybody - and have them promise that they will do the utmost to safe mankind from this evil destroyer. We must win this battle! So, help the coffee producers in Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi survive. When they survive, we survive, the world survives!
