Mixing Robusta Varieties Can Enhance Coffee Yields up to 86%, Research Shows – CoffeeTalk

New research in Côte d’Ivoire indicates that planting a combination of six carefully selected robusta coffee varieties can enhance yields by up to 86% without increasing input costs compared to traditional local varieties. This improvement is crucial as coffee production is a vital source of income for farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, a country facing challenges from climate variability and productivity issues.

The multi-year research was a collaborative effort between the Nestlé Institute of Agricultural Sciences and the Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (CNRA), initiated in 2018. The study assessed 18 robusta coffee varieties across four growing regions in Côte d’Ivoire, focusing on crucial factors such as yield, flavor profile, bean quality, and resilience against climate stressors like drought. Ultimately, six superior varieties—two from Nestlé and four from CNRA—were identified for their optimal performance when grown together.

Subsequent trials demonstrated that this mix significantly enhances both yield and flavor quality under stressful climate conditions, leading to coffee that offers a smoother taste with reduced bitterness, a common trait in robusta coffee. These six robusta varieties have been officially registered and will be distributed to farmers through cooperatives under Nestlé’s Nescafé Plan, aimed at sustainable coffee sourcing.

Hubert Coffi, Agronomy Manager at the Nestlé Institute in Côte d’Ivoire, emphasized the impacts of climate change, including altered rainfall patterns and rising temperatures, which threaten coffee crop health and productivity. The collaborative exploration of resilient coffee varieties is essential to safeguarding farmer livelihoods and ensuring the availability of high-quality coffee for consumers.

Nestlé’s coffee breeding initiatives in Côte d’Ivoire are based at their experimental farm in Zambakro, where research teams work alongside local partners to enhance agricultural practices. This includes providing farmers with practical training in regenerative agriculture to bolster the sustainability of coffee farming.

These advancements align with Nestlé’s broader objectives of developing high-yield, disease-resistant, and drought-tolerant coffee varieties, tailored to local conditions in major coffee-producing nations. Recent successful breeding projects include the introduction of Roubi 1 and Roubi 2 in Mexico, which achieve yields up to 50% greater than existing varieties, and Star 4, a new Arabica variety registered in Brazil, notable for its larger beans and resistance to coffee leaf rust.

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