Page 41 - APPD_Something's_Brewing_Nov/Dec'24

Sustainability
Cafeology
ISSUES FACED AT ROBERTO’S FARM

Diseases like zika and
malaria have already been
found in Costa Rica but the
risk is currently limited to
certain regions. However,
as the climate continues to
warm, the risk will continue
to increase and spread
across the country.

Rainfall has also become
more unpredictable. The
harvest season typically

Liam and his mentor picking coffee has little rainfall (which is
why it is perfect to harvest
Roberto also pays his pickers $3.00 per and dry coffee) but, in
Cajuela (40% more than the legal minimum recent years, there has
for pickers in Costa Rica) which helps to been more unseasonal
provide them with a better quality of life as rainfall. This issue is three-
well as a fairer price for their hard work. fold: premature

Impacts on farming blossoming, early drying
on the tree, and
Climate change has a multitude of effects on interruptions during
coffee farming. Leaf rust, for example, used to drying. As mentioned
be an issue at lower altitudes but is now previously, coffee mass
present everywhere and more frequently. blooms 12 days after the
Roberto has many processes in place to rainy season has ended –
manage rust outbreaks (discussed in a after which the blossom
previous article) but the issues will get worse dies and eventually
as climate conditions become more becomes a cherry.
favourable for rust. Unseasonal rainfall during

Similarly, this year there have been lots more the harvest season can
mosquitoes around the farm. They cause buds on new-growth
congregate around the pulper and the drying branches to prematurely
coffee, where there is lots of moisture and blossom. This blossom
sugar. Trying to work with these buzzing may produce a cherry but NOVEMBER/DECEMBER. 2024 | ISSUE 39

around is incredibly annoying. As well, there is it will mature out of
also the possibility of them carrying diseases. harvest season. Likewise,
It is known that disease-carrying mosquitoes buds only blossom once so
have begun migrating to new countries as the this premature blossoming
climate warms. has led to a loss of
production on next year’s
harvest.

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