Coffee-growing conditions will change by 2050 based on projections from several global climate models. Suitable coffee cultivation in current coffee-producing regions will reduce up to 50% by 2050 because of the impacts of climate change.

Coffee is an important livelihood for farmers in HKH region. Nepal, India and Myanmar have long been favoured for its specialty Arabica coffee. Yunnan started coffee plantations in the 1980s, and now accounts for 99% of coffee production in China.

More and more people choose a cup of coffee to start their day. Global demand for coffee is growing at 8.28% annually. However, due to climate change, existing cultivations are reducing; farmers’ livelihood is at risk due to more frequent extreme climate events. Meanwhile, 60% of the new available production area is covered in natural forest.

This short film visited farmers in HKH coffee landscape in Yunnan, China, where changes of the climate and impact is clearly felt by coffee farmers.
As a result, downstream users such as coffee roasters and cafe owners are facing price and quality changes in the supply chain.

Interviews from experts at Rainforest Alliance and Centre for International Research in Agriculture Development (CIRAD) explain the vulnerability of small coffee farms and possible solutions to increase resilience of coffee farmers in the mountain region.

Having worked with Yunnan coffee farmers for the past 8 years, ECOM Coffee Sustainable Management & Services team pointed out the gender dynamic in climate change resilience capacity building in coffee landscapes.

This film (on the website's homepage) aims to raise awareness of climate change impact in the region, and make clear the urgency to address these risks, by investing in the research, knowledge and facilities in HKH region, especially in mountain coffee livelihood.