Coffee

Coffee is grown across the tropical belt by a mix of smallholder farmers, who produce a large share of the global crop, and larger commercial estates, often on hillside or highland terrain where cooler temperatures suit arabica in particular.

Production systems range from shade-grown coffee under a canopy of taller trees to more open, sun-grown plantations, with shade systems often associated with additional on-farm tree products and biodiversity benefits.

Family

Rubiaceae (madder family)

Genus

Coffea

Principal species

Coffea arabica (arabica) and Coffea canephora (robusta)

Growth habit

Evergreen perennial shrub or small tree, commonly pruned to a manageable picking height in cultivation

Coffea arabica originates from the highlands of Ethiopia, while Coffea canephora originates from lowland forests of Central and West Africa; both species were subsequently spread through trade and colonial-era plantations to tropical regions across Asia and the Americas.

Today coffee is grown across the tropical belt, with major production in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. Current production and trade figures are compiled by FAO and national and international coffee-sector bodies.

Arabica coffee generally performs best at higher elevations within the tropics, where cooler temperatures slow cherry ripening and are associated with higher cup quality, while robusta tolerates warmer, lower-elevation conditions and is generally hardier under heat and some diseases.

Both species require well-distributed rainfall through most of the year, and prolonged drought or unusually high temperatures during flowering and fruit development can reduce yield and quality.

Coffee is often associated with fertile volcanic soils, valued for their depth, drainage, and mineral content, though it is also grown successfully on well-drained loam soils elsewhere. Coffee generally prefers acidic soil conditions.

New plantings are established from selected cultivars raised in nurseries, with spacing and shade-tree arrangement set according to species, elevation, and whether a shade-grown or sun-grown system is used.

• Species and cultivar selection matched to elevation, disease pressure, and market requirements
• Shade-tree management in agroforestry-style shade-grown systems
• Pruning to maintain picking height and renew productive wood
• Long-term orchard floor and soil-conservation management on sloping terrain

Nitrogen supports vegetative growth and yield, and coffee is generally grown on acidic soils that support nutrient availability suited to the crop. Soil pH is closely monitored, since it affects the availability of both macronutrients and micronutrients.

Coffee is grown both rain-fed, in regions with well-distributed rainfall, and under supplemental irrigation elsewhere, with water stress during flowering and cherry development having the greatest effect on yield and bean quality.

Drip irrigation is used in some intensive plantations to apply water precisely to the root zone while limiting excess canopy humidity that can favor foliar disease.

Coffee leaf rust is one of the most economically important diseases of coffee, capable of causing severe defoliation and yield loss, particularly in susceptible arabica plantings, while anthracnose-type diseases can affect leaves, stems, and cherries. Mealybugs and scale insects are common sap-feeding pests that can weaken plants and promote sooty mold.

Management combines resistant or tolerant cultivars where available, shade and canopy management, monitoring, and — where justified — locally authorized control products applied according to their labels.

Coffee cherries are typically hand-picked, often selectively over multiple passes to harvest only ripe fruit, though mechanical and strip harvesting are used in some larger, more level plantations. Harvested cherries are processed promptly by wet or dry methods to produce dried green beans.

• Roasted whole and ground beans for brewed coffee beverages
• Instant and soluble coffee products
• By-products such as cherry pulp and parchment used in composting or, in some regions, novel food and beverage products
• Shade trees in agroforestry coffee systems providing additional timber, fruit, or fuelwood