Ethiopia
By Plant Institute KULeuven & University of Jimma
7° 32' 54.4" N, 36° 34' 41.1" E
KU Leuven’s Agronomic and Conservation Ecology research group, together with the University of Jimma and with support from the FWO and VLIRUOS, studies the genetic diversity of wild Arabica coffee in southern Ethiopia where the species originated. This diversity is key for addressing challenges such as climate change, diseases and pests. The diversity of cultivated Arabica’s genetic material is remarkably low, making it vulnerable to these and other threats. By creating guidelines to preserve wild coffee and its genetic diversity, their vital research contributes to the sustainability of global coffee cultivation, symbolised by the fraction of Ethiopian Arabica in this blend.
The importance of this exceptional research
Ethiopia, the birthplace of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), holds an unparalleled genetic reservoir that is crucial for the future of coffee production. However, mounting environmental pressures, agricultural intensification, and genetic homogenisation threaten the country’s wild coffee forests. Researchers from KU Leuven’s Plant Institute and Jimma University have been at the forefront of efforts to understand these challenges and develop strategies to conserve Ethiopia’s coffee biodiversity. Their studies offer crucial insights into the intricate relationship between coffee cultivation, genetic diversity, and ecosystem health.
A Treasure of Genetic Diversity
Wild Arabica coffee, which grows as an understory shrub in Ethiopia’s Afromontane rainforests, is genetically distinct from widely cultivated varieties such as Typica and Bourbon. These wild populations exhibit significant genetic and phenotypic variation, offering traits such as low caffeine content, superior cup quality, and resistance to diseases like coffee berry disease and coffee wilt. Unlike ex situ collections, where plants are maintained outside their natural habitat, in situ conservation allows these wild populations to continue evolving in response to environmental pressures. Preserving this genetic diversity is not only vital for future breeding efforts but also for ensuring the long-term resilience of coffee cultivation worldwide.
Threats to Ethiopia’s Coffee Forests
The rapid expansion of coffee cultivation in Ethiopia has resulted in deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and increased reliance on intensively managed coffee systems. Researchers have documented a 23% decline in woody species richness and a 31% reduction in tree and shrub density in coffee-growing regions over just eight years. This biodiversity loss is accompanied by a decline in pollinator diversity, with managed coffee plantations becoming increasingly reliant on honeybees. While honeybees are efficient pollinators, the loss of diverse insect pollinators raises concerns about ecosystem stability, particularly under the pressures of climate change and emerging diseases.
Beyond biodiversity loss, genetic introgression presents a growing threat. Since the 1970s, disease-resistant cultivars have been introduced into coffee forests to combat coffee berry disease. While these cultivars enhance disease resistance, they also hybridise with wild coffee populations, leading to genetic homogenisation and potential loss of valuable adaptive traits. Research has shown that semi-forest coffee systems, where cultivated and wild plants grow together, are particularly susceptible to this genetic mixing. Without intervention, the long-term adaptability of both wild and cultivated coffee could be compromised.
Conservation Strategies for Ethiopia’s Coffee Future
While intensively managed coffee systems contribute to habitat degradation, researchers have identified agroforestry as a potential solution. Extensive coffee agroforestry systems, where coffee is grown under a diverse canopy, help maintain higher carbon stocks, support pollinator diversity, and reduce the ecological impact of cultivation. However, the effectiveness of these systems depends on management intensity. Studies have shown that as management intensifies, tree diversity and carbon sequestration decline, leading to reduced ecosystem stability. Financial incentives, such as REDD+ initiatives and sustainability certification schemes, could help make extensive agroforestry economically viable, ensuring that conservation and production goals align.
Given the multiple threats facing Ethiopia’s wild coffee, conservation efforts must take a multifaceted approach. Researchers recommend implementing a land-use strategy that combines “land sparing” (setting aside protected areas) with “land sharing” (promoting biodiversity-friendly coffee farming). This approach would involve establishing strict forest reserves – protecting the last remaining natural coffee forests to preserve genetic diversity; creating buffer zones – surrounding core conservation areas with semi-forest coffee systems to reduce genetic mixing; enhancing sustainable farming practices – encouraging farmers to maintain shade trees and diverse plant communities in coffee-growing regions; and developing benefit-sharing mechanisms – ensuring that local communities who bear the costs of conservation receive financial or technical support, potentially through certification schemes or the Nagoya Protocol.
A GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY
The research conducted by KU Leuven’s Plant institute and Jimma University underscores the urgency of conserving Ethiopia’s coffee biodiversity. Arabica coffee, which accounts for 60% of global coffee production, is highly susceptible to climate change, pests, and diseases due to its narrow genetic base. The genetic wealth found in Ethiopia’s wild Arabica populations could hold the key to breeding more resilient coffee varieties, ensuring the future of the coffee industry and the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers worldwide.
As the demand for coffee continues to rise, balancing economic needs with ecological conservation has never been more critical. The survival of Ethiopia’s wild coffee is not just a national concern but a global responsibility—one that requires collaborative efforts from researchers, policymakers, coffee producers, and consumers alike.
KNOWLEGDE KNOWS NO END.
References
Aerts, R., Berecha, G., Gijbels, P., Hundera, K., Van Glabeke, S., Vandepitte, K., Muys, B., Roldán-Ruiz, I. and Honnay, O. (2013). Genetic variation and risks of introgression in the wild Coffea arabica gene pool in south-western Ethiopian montane rainforests. Evol Appl, 6, 243–252. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-4571.2012.00285.x
Aerts, R., Geeraert, L., Berecha, G., Hundera, K., Muys, B., De Kort, H., Honnay, O. (2017). Conserving wild Arabica coffee: Emerging threats and opportunities. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 237, 75–79. ISSN 0167-8809, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.12.023.
Berecha, G., Aerts, R., Muys, B. et al. Fragmentation and Management of Ethiopian Moist Evergreen Forest Drive Compositional Shifts of Insect Communities Visiting Wild Arabica Coffee Flowers. Environmental Management 55, 373–382 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0393-9
Geeraert, L., Hulsmans, E., Helsen, K., Berecha, G., Aerts, R., Honnay, O. (2019). Rapid diversity and structure degradation over time through continued coffee cultivation in remnant Ethiopian Afromontane forests. Biological Conservation, 236, 8–16. ISSN 0006-3207, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.05.014.
, , , , , , , , , , & (2023). Genetic composition and diversity of Arabica coffee in the crop’s centre of origin and its impact on four major fungal diseases. Molecular Ecology, 32, 2484–2503. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16458
