Rust proofing Indian and African Coffee

Overview

Results

The team

Related information

So what's the problem?

The coffee industry is hugely important to the economies of India and various African countries. Exports bring in essential foreign exchange and the chain of jobs involved in the production, processing and marketing of coffee from seed to cup provides employment for millions of people. Many coffee farmers are small-scale growers who depend on it for a large proportion of their income. This is especially true for those who live in hilly terrain where other crops struggle and coffee is the only option.

The coffee market is very competitive. Producers in India and Africa are increasingly having to compete with industrial scale coffee farms in countries such as Brazil in addition to battling with coffee diseases. Coffee leaf-rust – caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix – is one of the diseases causing the most amount of damage, with infected coffee trees producing around 40% fewer beans compared with healthy trees. And in severe cases, coffee leaf rust will kill the coffee tree. First recorded in Sri Lanka in the late 1800’s the debilitating disease has since spread to all coffee producing countries. Noticeable at first by yellow blisters (known as pustules) on the underside of leaves, masses of spores are then produced before causing the leaves to drop their leaves prematurely. These defoliated trees are then more susceptible to attack from stem-boring insects.

Coffee berry disease is also a big issue, caused by the fungus caused by a virulent strain of Colletotrichum coffeanum. Here, the fungus lives in the bark of the coffee tree and the spores produced attack the coffee cherries.

There are pesticides available that would help reduce the damage caused by these diseases but small-scale farmers cannot afford to use them, and what’s more, they can be an unhealthy addition to the environment. Between 2000 and 2004 coffee prices dropped to very low levels and as a result many farmers spent less time and money looking after their coffee crops – the sight of aging trees growing in deteriorating soil is becoming more common. With large coffee companies investing in chemicals and new disease-resistant varieties these small-scale producers are in danger of falling further behind.

What is this project doing?

CABI is implementing a project which covers India, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe. This project has the support of the five countries’ governments, the International Coffee Organisation and the Common Fund for Commodities. The overall aim of the project is to reduce the economic and environmental costs of disease control for smallholder coffee farmers by reducing losses caused by disease.

To get a better understanding of the situation a full assessment of who the stakeholders are (such as farmers and hauliers etc) and how they currently interact will be carried out. Surveys of smallholder coffee farmers will look at the impact of coffee leaf-rust and other diseases and how farmers have responded to these problems to date. In addition, a detailed investigation of all the local varieties of coffee used in each country will be undertaken and CABI scientists will then work with local nurseries to develop and conserve a healthy breeding stock of all local varieties. These nurseries can then be used for supplying seeds and developing new hybrids which are better able to cope with the disease.

Furthermore, coffee varieties are being exchanged between each of the five countries. Both local and imported varieties will then be tested for their resistance to diseases, seed growth and vigour, crop yield and the quality of the end product – a cup of coffee. Switching to a new variety will take a certain investment of time and money on the part of the farmer, so the length of time between investment and reward will also be taken into account to ensure that it is viable.

Farmers will take an active role in running field trials and attend Farmer Field Schools so that they learn by experimenting. Trials will be carried out on farms to test the potential of using fungicides and other agents to help control the disease. And, to ensure that the findings of the project are communicated effectively stage-by-stage, there will be meetings for people involved in the coffee industry. Also field days and exchange visits to other coffee growing regions will be organised.

Results so far

Incidence, severity and distribution of coffee leaf rust and coffee berry diseases and their socioeconomic impacts has now been established for the five countries. And, the assessment of the stakeholders resulted in the inclusion of the main ones in the project.

In addition, of the team documented the impact of coffee diseases and smallholder coffee farmers’ coping strategies.

We have identified varieties with resistance to coffee leaf rust and berry diseases, and and with very good vigour and yield characteristics. The varieties are now being evaluated for the quality of the cup. In Uganda, the project is also multiplying the varieties resistant to coffee wilt disease.

In addition, capacity building of national staff in the African countries is supporting MSc and PhD studies on coffee related topics.

Meanwhile, studies on coffee leaf rust revealed a range of previously unknown races (varieties) some of which are attacking previously resistant varieties. This information is invaluable for developing durable resistance. However, as disease types vary, there is an urgent need for effective quarantine measures.

As an interim measure, environmentally-friendly fundigicides have also been identified and will be recommended in respective countries. Some biocontrol agents are also showing promise in India.

Project reports

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