Date of Graduation

Spring 5-16-2025

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Environmental Management (MSEM)

College/School

College of Arts and Sciences

Department/Program

Environmental Management

First Advisor

Simon Scarpetta

Abstract

Coffee is one of the most valuable commodities on the planet, responsible for a global annual income of over $200 billion. The longevity of the coffee industry is directly threatened by the adverse effects of climate change. This report evaluates various climate change resilience strategies used in the Central American coffee industry, including agroforestry farming methods, crop hybridization, and coffee-sector specific climate action programs. The assessment was done through a literature review of two opposite coffee farming methods, a case study of a prominent F1 hybrid coffee breeds, and a program analysis of a coffee-specific climate action program in Costa Rica. The literature review on farming methods revealed that agroforestry (AF) systems tend to produce have reduced coffee yield totals when compared to direct-sun monoculture (DSM) systems but produce higher quality products and facilitate various beneficial ecosystem services. The case study of Centroamericano, a prominent, commercially available hybrid coffee breed, demonstrated the potential of hybrid coffee varieties to maintain high coffee yields amidst changing climatic conditions but also revealed the need for further research in the field of hybridization. The program analysis of Costa Rica’s NAMA Café and NAMA Support Program characterized the structure of successful government support programs that can serve as models for other Central American nations looking to implement similar frameworks in the pursuit of coffee-sector-specific climate action.

Download

Share

COinS