Scientists discover potential solution to global crisis impacting the world's coffee supply: 'We're learning every day'

Excelsa — a lesser-known coffee plant with heat- and drought-resistant powers — may help java drinkers stay caffeinated in a warming world while addressing the poverty that too many farmers face. Yet there are human obstacles to overcome.

Experts are reconsidering the mysterious plant, discovered in South Sudan over 100 years ago, as a possible solution to "a global coffee crisis caused mainly by climate change," the Associated Press reported in March.

The world's dominant coffee varieties, arabica and robusta, have taken hits recently as weather events have hurt production. Arabica can be especially vulnerable to extreme heat, and robusta — sometimes considered the more resilient of the two with its greater tolerance for high temperatures — has also seen some farms recently challenged by drought in Vietnam.

Experts cited by the AP predicted Brazil's harvest to decline about 12% this year as the top coffee-producing nation fights poor growing conditions. Coffee prices are rising globally as suppliers struggle to meet demand and reach for solutions.

"What history shows us is that sometimes the world doesn't give you a choice," Aaron Davis told the AP. Davis leads coffee research at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London. "Right now there are many coffee farmers suffering from climate change that are facing this predicament." 

Enter a humble bean — one that may help keep prices down while enabling producers to adapt. 

Excelsa trees grow with deep roots, big trunks, and tough leaves that can help them survive droughts and heat. They can also withstand pests and diseases, per the AP. Native to South Sudan as well as some other African nations, the plant has additionally been cultivated in India and Southeast Asia. 

Excelsa is one of a few varieties that could offer coffee source alternatives in a warming world. Other heat-resistant coffee strains have recently been rediscovered in Sierra Leone.

However, such solutions so far lack scale. According to the AP, excelsa still makes up less than 1% of the global market, so it has a long way to go before it can counteract climate impacts on coffee production.

Farming in South Sudan also has its challenges, as AP reporter Sam Mednick documented, due to limited infrastructure, human rights atrocities, and renewed threats of civil war for the world's youngest nation.

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These uncertainties can discourage some investors. Brush fires can also devastate farmers in the region.

Still, there is hope that South Sudan might build on the potential of excelsa.

In an on-site video, Mednick recently said, "For the farmers, there is hope that this is going to be a source of income for them, enable them to put more food on the table for their children, send their children to school." 

In the past, Equatoria Teak, which has operated in South Sudan for 10-plus years per the AP, has provided seedlings and training to farmers, who can sell beans back to the agro-forestry company.

Ian Paterson, managing director, told the news service he hopes to export 7 tons for European specialty shops as time goes on. If the industry can scale up so that large buyers like Nespresso invest, excelsa could provide $2 million to the economy by 2027. The company 

"There's so little known about this coffee," Paterson said, "that we feel at the forefront [of] trying to unravel it and we're learning every day."

If you're in the neighborhood of San Diego, California, you might be able to sample some of the stuff and learn more about it too. Excelsa Cafe — which calls itself the world's first excelsa-only coffee shop and looks to grow the international market for these beans — recently opened in Ocean Beach.

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