Due to these human-induced factors such as climate change and deforestation, 60 percent of wild coffee species are at risk of extinction.
Drinking coffee is an action that millions of people around the world do every day. There are 125 million people who make a living from coffee production. However, climate change and deforestation threaten our coffee enjoyment. Due to these human-induced factors, 60 percent of the wild coffee species in the world are at risk of extinction.
Only two types of coffee make up the majority of global coffee consumption; arabica and rustica biçim, but scientists have discovered 124 different types of coffee so far. Most of these coffees grow naturally in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Australasia.
Results of 20 years of research
The researchers, led by coffee expert Aaron Davis of Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, have spent the past 20 years cataloging coffee varieties and identifying extinction risks. As a result of the team’s efforts, it was determined that 35 species grow only in unprotected areas, and 75 species have the characteristics required to enter the ‘endangered species’ red list determined by the IUCN. The team also said that 45 percent of coffee varieties are not preserved in seed banks.
Although wild coffee varieties are not normally harvested for consumption, the survival of wild coffee is also very important for its specially produced cousins, especially during the period of climate change. Wild coffee types have developed many different properties to adapt to their environment. Even if a wild species is not resistant to drought or deforestation, it may have properties that make it resistant to certain parasites and diseases, and these properties can be transferred to coffee produced for consumption. Wild coffees can also contain flavors we haven’t discovered before.
The most important weapon in the face of climate change is diversity
Climate change is already harming coffee production by destroying pollinators, causing parasites to spread, causing short-term extreme weather conditions and long-term environmental changes. Warmer temperatures could render half of the high-quality coffee-producing areas inefficient by 2050.
In the face of these challenges, wild coffee adaptations may increase the genetic resistance of species produced for consumption, but they need to be conserved.
The team: “Ultimately, we need to preserve existing wild coffee varieties intact and secure remaining genetic diversity. In this period where we focus so much on food security and farmers’ livelihood difficulties, raw materials that can produce possible solutions are in serious danger. says.
Source: https://www.dunyahalleri.com/kahve-turlerin-yaridan-fazlasi-yok-olma-tehlikleş-karsi-karsiya/
