What we'll be discussing
Coffee production provides work for more than 120 million of the world’s poorest people. Climate change, however, is a mounting threat.
Rising temperatures in Central America are fuelling the growth of the devastating leaf disease known as coffee rust (pdf), leading to drops of 30% or more in coffee production in the region.
In Ethiopia, where an estimated 25% of the population depends directly or indirectly on coffee for their livelihoods, climate change is also having a profoundly negative impact, with production predicted to significantly decrease in certain areas.
What can be done? Join us on Tuesday 20 September, 2-3pm (BST), to debate how to protect coffee and support the people who rely on this vital commodity.
Questions we will explore include:
- from diversifying to relocating, how can farmers become more resilient to climate change?
- where does technology fit in?
- who’s funding this support and how can that money be put to best use?
- how to reach the most vulnerable coffee growing communities?
The panel
Aaron Davis, senior research leader of plant resources, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Steven Macatonia, co-founder, Union Hand-Roasted Coffee
Emma Pinchbeck, head of climate and energy policy, WWF
Hugo Villela, regional agribusiness specialist, Oikocredit
Moderator - Tess Riley, deputy editor, Guardian Sustainable Business
Further panellists TBC. If you’re interested in joining our panel, please email tess.riley@theguardian.com
Updated
Submit a question for the panel
You can send questions in advance by emailing tess.riley@theguardian.com or tweeting @GuardianSustBiz using the hashtag #AskGSB
How to join in the discussion
Make sure you’re a registered user of the Guardian and join us in the comments section below, which will open on the day of the live chat.
