ABSTRACT
Of the approximately 100 species of the genus Coffea, only Coffea arabica L. (Arabica coffee) and C. canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner (Robusta coffee)1 are economically important worldwide, accounting for approximately 99% of the global bean production. Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, followed by Vietnam and Colombia. Coffee is the major export product of countries such as Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Ethiopia. About 70% of the world crop is grown on holdings smaller than 10 ha, and hence coffee farming is often a family business that provides sustenance for over 25 million people worldwide. On a broader scale, the international coffee trade involves about 500 million people in its management, from cultivation to the final product for consumption.
