Poor Farmer

Coffee production in parts of East Africa and South America could suffer as climate change drives up the numbers and distribution of a key pest, according to research. And some coffee-growing countries, especially those in Eastern Africa such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, will see production decrease by up to ten per cent compared with a scenario without climate change. Additionally, the soil conditions found in higher altitude areas might not be suitable for coffee production. Study mapping the spread of the berry borer, a major coffee pest, suggests climate change will make its impact more severe and widespread Mercy Adhiambo for   SciDev.net , part of the   Guardian Environment Network guardian.co.uk October 13, 2011 Coffee production in parts of East Africa and South America could suffer as climate change drives up the numbers and distribution of a key pest, according to research. Scientists from the International Centre of Insect Physiology...

"Acting on behalf of the Agricultural Department, I have secured a collection of the seeds of the more important crops peculiar to Ethiopia, a number of which may be found valuable in the exploitation of the uncultivated Western lands of the United States, now being made available by the extension of our irrigation system. I have also in hand material for a report upon the agricultural resources of the empire. "The Agricultural Department was particularly desirous of securing a collection of wild coffee seeds for experimental purposes. These could not be obtained during my visit, but have been ordered, and will be ultimately forwarded. Such a collection could only be found in Kaffa, a remote province of the country, access to which involves a long and expensive journey. "The experts of the Agricultural Department have a theory that the degeneration of the modern plantations is due to the fact that, coffee culture has been based upon seed originally imported from ...