A rare species of coffee rediscovered in the wild after decades could secure the future of great-tasting brews in the face of climate change, scientists said.
According to tasting by independent experts, the enigmatic narrow-leaved coffee (Coffea stenophylla) from West Africa has a flavour similar to high-end Arabica, the world’s most popular coffee which is at risk from climate change.
But stenophylla tolerates much higher temperatures than Arabica, and as the world warms, it could help farmers whose livelihoods depend on supplying high-quality coffee for the multi-billion pound global industry.
It could be grown commercially in much warmer places than Arabica and be used as a breeding resource to produce new, climate-resilient crops to meet the world’s desire for a good cup of coffee.