Dar es Salaam — CLIMATE change is significantly impacting coffee farming in Tanzania, increasing production costs and reducing yields, according to the Paradox of Climate-Smart Coffee (PACSMAC) project findings.
Speaking on the project's outcomes, PACSMAC Coordinator Prof Christine Noe said climate change has significantly disrupted coffee production, particularly for smallholder farmers, calling for stronger policy support to sustain the industry.
"The intention is to support farmers through policy so that they can continue producing effectively, increase their incomes and contribute to national economic growth," said Prof Noe, who is also the Principal of the College of Social Sciences at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).
She said that scientists under the project examined the coffee value chain in Tanzania and Ethiopia, focusing on policies and laws governing the cash crop, as well as market flows down to smallholder farmers.
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According to Prof Noe, climate change has introduced multiple challenges, including increased costs for irrigation, pesticides, fertilisers and disease control measures, which were previously required at much lower levels.
"Overall, production costs have gone up, while productivity has gone down," she noted.
She said in northern Tanzania, many farmers have abandoned coffee farming as land sizes shrink and returns decline, making the crop less profitable.
In contrast, farmers in southern regions such as Mbinga continue to expand cultivation due to the availability of larger land areas, although they still face similar climate-related challenges.
Prof Noe noted the importance of providing farmers with close and professional extension services.
"The shortage of agricultural officers has forced many farmers to rely on agro-input sellers for advice. When sellers become advisors, the guidance becomes more about business than agronomy," she said.
Another key challenge, she added, is ensuring that research findings inform policy action.
"We must not only generate research reports, but also share them with policymakers so that recommendations many of which are policy-related can be implemented," Prof Noe said.
She underlined the need to translate academic and policy insights into practical solutions that reach farmers and boost productivity.
Through the project, capacity building was also achieved, with four PhD and two Master's students trained.
The research focused on four major coffee-growing areas: Kyerwa in the Lake Zone, Rombo in the Northern Zone, and Mbinga and Mbozi in the Southern Highlands.
International researcher, Prof Kristjan Jespersen who is also a PACSMAC Coordinator said that the impacts of climate change on coffee production are unprecedented.
"We are facing climate change impacts we have never seen before," he said. He added: "Wider engagement and a different approach are required to shape a more resilient coffee industry."
Meanwhile, Assistant Director for Policy Research and Innovation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Adela Ng'atigwa, warned that coffee production is under serious threat.
She said research has already shown that rising minimum temperatures in coffee-growing regions have a significant negative impact on yields, with forecasts predicting severe production declines if no adaptation measures are taken.
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Dr Ng'atigwa said smallholder farmers face overlapping challenges, including unpredictable weather, the spread of destructive diseases such as Coffee Berry Disease, and mounting economic pressures.
"The PACSMAC team has provided robust data showing how millions of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and Tanzania are facing challenges that threaten their very existence in the coffee value chain," she said.
She called on policymakers and private sector stakeholders to act on the evidence by developing tangible support programmes, fair pricing models and resilient infrastructure.
"Academics will ensure the findings are peer-reviewed and shared globally, but action is now required," she added.
The PACSMAC project ran for five years at a total cost of 4.6 bn/-, of which UDSM secured 1.2bn/-.
