Climatic Variables and Impact of Coffee Berry Diseases (Colletotrichum Kahawae) in Ethiopian Coffee Production

Abstract

Coffee is a vital crop in social, cultural and national economy of Ethiopia. Despite coffee plays dominant role in social, cultural and national economy, the country’s coffee industry is challenged due to major coffee diseases like coffee berry diseases while coffee growers did not use resistant coffee varieties. Understanding the potential impact of coffee berry diseases in relation to climatic variables is critical. More over climate change impact negatively on suitability of coffee production areas with change in diseases and insect pest patterns. Areas that are currently still suitable for Arabica coffee require adaptation and mitigation strategies in order to sustain the livelihood of farmers depending on Arabica coffee production. Coffee trees around Western part of the country (Gimbi area) don’t producing for three consecutive years (shift from bi-annual to tri-annual coffee bearing) which is associated with climate change. Research is needed to carry out impacts and implication of climate change (soil erosion, loss of cash crop, disease and pest) adaptation strategies (managing water source and improvement, ways of soil conservation activities, use of shade trees and integrated pest management) should be identified & studied. Moreover, there is a need to investigate further information and researches on change in biology of CBD pathogen, resistant durability of previously released CBD commercial cultivars, coffee farming systems and their influences on coffee berry disease prevalence, awareness of farmers about climate change and other related issues. Thus, the frequency and severity of climatic extremes are increasing and making adaptation an absolute necessity through using current information on climate variability to develop long term plans for managing coffee berry disease via reducing the vulnerability of Ethiopian coffee growers.

Keywords: Climate variables, Coffee production system, Coffee Berry diseases, Colletotrichum kahawae,