Each year, we lose 134 million hectares of forests, with Africa and South America, key coffee cultivation regions, experiencing the most deforestation. Sun-grown coffee may produce higher yields, but it also leads to soil nutrient depletion and deforestation.
Heavy pesticide use in coffee cultivation, reaching 5 million tons globally in 2005, contributes to soil contamination and runoff, negatively impacting aquatic ecosystems. As targeted species become more tolerant, pesticide use is expected to rise, perpetuating the cycle of water pollution.
The devastating fungus has the potential to decimate entire coffee plantations and, consequently, jeopardize the livelihoods of farmers who depend on healthy plants for their income.
A January 2022 study predicted that roughly half of the land most conducive to growing coffee will decrease over the next 30 years due to climate change. Arabica is the most prevalent coffee that is mainly responsible for this because it necessitates specific growing conditions in equatorial places.
Deforestation alters habitats, rendering them unsuitable for previous species to thrive. The loss of forested areas decreases biodiversity and leads to reduced air moisture, altering soil composition and foliage.
Deforestation results in soil erosion, particularly when natural ecosystems like rainforests are converted into agricultural lands. This process causes the loss of valuable organic soil components, including soil carbon.
Sun-grown coffee also requires a huge amount of water during the growing period. To put it in perspective, it is estimated that it takes 170 liters of coffee to brew a single cup.