Ethiopia - Coffee Under Threat in the Jungle - Global 3000 12.05.2008

The popular Arabica coffee variety comes from the mountainous forests of Ethiopia. The wild types of Arabica grow at around 1000 to 1900 meters above sea level. Their resistance to blight and their adaptability make them a valuable resource for the cultivation of new strains of coffee beans. But locals need land to grow food and fields for their livestock to graze. This "hunger" for more land has led to the destruction of ever larger swathes of forest through slash and burn clearances and logging. A project undertaken by the University of Bonn in Germany aims to protect the forests and utilize the genetic diversity of the coffee plants to cultivate new strains for industry.