Armed with my second cup of coffee for the day, I feel ready to dig into the story of these magic beans—but also a little hesitant. Is it the caffeine making me feel anxious, or does this feeling come from just how problematic the global supply chain can be for the beloved beverage enjoyed daily by roughly two-thirds of Americans?
Coffee beans are among the most traded commodities in the world, so the impact this market has on the planet—and the people living on it—is significant. And in the next 30 years, demand for coffee is expected to double.
Fortunately, researchers and coffee lovers saw this particular blend of issues brewing years ago and have come together to let their ideas percolate. UMass professors Timothy Randhir and David King, along with their graduate students, are in phase one of their five-year project to create a new system for the sustainable production of coffee, with funding from a $1 million National Science Foundation grant and several collaborating universities.
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