SAVE OUR COFFEE
A cup of coffee is one of life's little pleasures. But whether you like to drink a cup of black coffee or prefer to add milk and sugar, be prepared! Very soon the price may go up and your favorite brand might not be available. Perhaps the quality won't be as good as before. Why might this happen? According to recent studies, the reason is climate change.(lines 1–5)
The effects of global warming are already felt by the owners of the small farms that grow 70% of the world's coffee trees. Scientists believe that if the average temperature continues to rise, by the year 2050 most of the land that is now used to grow coffee trees will no longer be suitable. "There are very few regions in the world where coffee trees can grow," explains Professor Beth Sharp of Drake University. "The coffee trees do well only in specific places that have the right temperature – on mountains, for example. As the climate gets hotter, even in the mountains, the coffee trees produce fewer of the red fruits which contain the coffee beans. And the quality of these beans is also decreasing."(lines 6–15)
Some farmers are trying to solve this problem by moving higher up the mountains, where it is cooler. However, there is not enough land there for everyone to grow coffee trees, so many farmers may lose their farms and incomes. A better solution is to develop new kinds of coffee trees that can grow well in hotter weather. But this can take 10–20 years. In the meantime, a coffee tree which grows in Sierra Leone, Africa, gives some hope. It is called Coffee Stenophylla. According to recent studies, this tree is less sensitive to changes in temperature. Most importantly, its beans produce a delicious cup of coffee. Coffee experts and coffee lovers are hopeful that Coffee Stenophylla will save the coffee industry.(lines 16–22)