Coffee has economic, climate positives: Researcher

AN agriculturalist and researcher says coffee can bring in cash for both economic purposes and also for generating revenue in the carbon space of climate change.
Mawe Gonapa, a doctoral student in a short presentation, told government authorities that the coffee plant stored carbon in its leaves, stem and even underground using its roots, thus offering benefits as a cash crop.
“Coffee has the potential to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration (process of capturing or storing),” Gonapa said.
“If we come together and make our position clear on how to involve coffee in the carbon trade, we would create relevant guidelines to get it into carbon trade and have the carbon credit certified.”
Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Ministry first secretary Motsy David said this had been an ongoing conversation.
“We have been talking about it (climate change), we have been going to conferences, what’s needed from us now is action,” he said.
“Coffee carbon trade may be our answer.”
Gonapa said coffee offered a huge potential to improve livelihoods, as farmers would get additional income, improve conservation and bio-diversity when coffee was grown with other trees.
David said Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister Simo Kilepa, on his return from the United Nations Conference of Parties (Cop27) summit, would initiate dialogue with Coffee Minister Joe Kuli and other related ministers to progress this.
The Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Ministry initiated the meeting with Gonapa and was pleased with the information and discussions, knowing it may be a prospect for the future.