A study published Thursday in the Wiley journal Sustainable Development challenges the long-standing assumption that robusta coffee is more resilient to climate change than other coffee varieties. The research, led by Aaron Davis, senior research leader of crops and global change at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, describes the belief in robusta's superior climate resilience as an "internet myth" that gained traction about a decade ago.
The study critiques earlier research for methodological flaws, including treating irrigated farms as ideal growing conditions and failing to account for robusta's vulnerability to drought. These errors, the authors argue, have led to an overestimation of the crop's adaptability to rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns. Robusta coffee currently accounts for tens of millions of bags supplied to international markets annually, with Vietnam and Brazil producing the majority of the global robusta harvest.
The research concludes that prior evaluations of robusta's climate resilience should be considered tentative, urging a reassessment of its role in the coffee sector's climate adaptation strategies. The findings come as global demand for robusta continues to rise, driven by its use in instant coffee and blends. Earlier this month, a Vietnamese coffee official emphasized that climate change adaptation has become an immediate priority for safeguarding production levels rather than a long-term concern.
The study's release underscores the need for more rigorous scientific scrutiny in assessing agricultural resilience amid accelerating climate change. Media outlets, farmers, and researchers have frequently cited robusta's heat tolerance as a key solution to the coffee industry's climate challenges, but the new findings suggest such claims may be premature.
