Excelsa Coffee Offers Hope in South Sudan Amid Climate Challenges

Catherine Bashiama in South Sudan is nurturing a rare coffee species, excelsa, as part of her effort to lift her family out of poverty. This climate-resistant crop is attracting international interest amid a global coffee crisis caused by climate change. As established producers face challenges from extreme weather, excelsa coffee presents a promising alternative for struggling farmers.

In Nzara County, South Sudan, Catherine Bashiama tends to a coffee tree she has nurtured from a seedling, eagerly anticipating its first fruit. Overjoyed upon discovering small cherries, she envisions a brighter future for her family through the cultivation of this rare, climate-resilient coffee species. With hopes of eventually sending her twelve children to school, Bashiama represents a new wave of farmers embracing coffee growing in an area where it was once unheard of.

Excelsa coffee, discovered in South Sudan over a century ago, is gaining attention amid a global coffee crisis largely driven by climate change. As traditional coffee-producing nations grapple with increasingly unreliable weather patterns and rising prices — at their highest in decades — local farmers view excelsa as a potential solution to financial stability. This development has attracted interest from both impoverished communities and international markets, highlighting the urgent need for innovative responses to the ongoing challenges facing the coffee industry.

Catherine Bashiama’s efforts to cultivate a rare, climate-resistant coffee species underscore a potential avenue for alleviating poverty in South Sudan. The growing interest in excelsa coffee during a global crisis reflects the need for sustainable agricultural practices as traditional coffee production faces significant challenges due to climate change. This initiative represents both a hope for local farmers and a timely response to rising coffee prices worldwide.

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