Starbucks develops resistant coffee seeds to withstand climate change

Starbucks has developed six new varieties of coffee seeds that are more resilient to the effects of climate change.

As reported by The Guardian, this development is seen as critical for the future of coffee, as climate change poses a significant threat to coffee production due to increased disease susceptibility, droughts, and extreme weather conditions.

Arabica beans, which account for 70% of global coffee production, are particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures. Starbucks has cultivated arabica seeds that resist diseases like coffee leaf rust and produce higher yields in shorter periods, helping to ensure the future of coffee production.

The coffee giant buys from about 400,000 farmers across 30 countries and is now giving these climate-resilient seeds to farmers for free, allowing them to sell the resulting crops to buyers other than Starbucks.