8) Slurp and digest

Coffee catastrophe

Image source: Pinterest.com

Fact: your morning cup of coffee is threatened with extinction.

Coffee enthusiasts will know their arabica from robusta, whilst growing, the former hates high temperatures and the latter is sensitive to dry soils. Hitherto 60% of 124 known coffee species are on the brink of extinction. Luckily, if coffee breeders extract genetic diversity from 124 wild species, we could save beans (and our sanity) from climate change. Of the 16 major gene banks, only 4 have fully grown trees, but they are vulnerable to funding cuts and deforestation. Greater investment is needed in protected areas (coffee plants) and germplasm collections where the wild species grow (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Cameroon and Angola). Without the wild plants, we would not have coffee to drink today, we as consumers must help preserve, protect and save our daily grind.

Wild populations of arabica coffee could decline by 50% by 2088 due to climate change (Gole, 2019)

By supporting initiatives like The Yayu Forest Project, which aims to increase farmers' pay which will incentivise forest protection and biodiversity conservation of wild species. Not only does this improve the quality of your coffee, it helps to sustain livelihoods of farming communities and of the plants; the best of both worlds. Click here for coffee!

Yayu coffee farmers in Ethiopia harvesting wild beans (Image source: Union Roasted)

Future Food Fecundity

Thanks to Haber and Bosch, gone are the days of famine, you need not fear over annual harvests. Climate change is going to rain on our parade. Unpredictable weather patterns are causing headaches for farmers experiencing extreme drought followed by monsoon conditions. Ideally, we need hardy crop varieties that are drought and deluge resistant. Hence why scientists are exploring the future of such genetically engineered crops.

Imagine a world where kids do not have enough calories to develop. We as scientists have an urgency to help plants withstand floods, to ensure food security for the future. (Bailey-Serres, 2019)

Corn, rice, wheat and soybeans provide 60% of global calories. A solution could be engineering deeper roots to these crops. Alternatively, plants that can store biomass underground are advantageous in extreme environments, perhaps potatoes, yams and cassava will feed the future? Another innovation is vertical farming, most suited to planetary urbanisation. After seeing IKEA's exhibit at Chelsea Flower Show, I had my first taste at GoodBank in Berlin last summer and I fully endorse this novelty.

Vertical farming exhibit at CFS by Tom Dixon and IKEA; how gardening will save the world (Image Source: IKEA)

Lick your lips and brace your tastebuds for food in the anthropocene!