Resource use in the coffee sector
Another risk lies in the high consumption of resources, particularly water.
Coffee cultivation exacerbates local water stress in regions with water scarcity or adverse climatic conditions. In addition, water-intensive primary processing methods – particularly wet processing – place a strain on the environment due to high water consumption and wastewater. In Ethiopia, for example, there is a shift in suitable growing areas due to rising temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns, post-harvest losses and extreme weather.