STiR coffee and tea magazine

30 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 2, 2022 (April / May) Uganda: a pollination nation The success of bees in helping Ugandan farmers maximize their crop was mainly due to the nature of the country's dominant bean—robusta. Countries that use arabica beans instead have unique advantages and disadvantages. "Arabica coffee is self-fertilizing, so it does not require external pollinators to re- produce— that's convenient but it's also the reason arabica suffers from the dangers of such a narrow gene pool. Every child is essentially the carbon copy of its parent, making the global crop highly susceptible to the same pests and diseases." STiR asked Sophie Short, a resident coffee expert at Coffee Affection to elabo- rate. She explained to us that robusta is a cross-pollination plant (or self-pollinating), meaning each child has two parents. And over a period of time, she told us, "Robusta evolves through a process of natural selection into highly localized gene pools with unique traits. Bees and the wind [mainly] facilitate that process. Since reproduction is the most important function of any species, robusta has gotten good at it." Bee-lieve in sustainability Is the way Ugandan farmers combined beekeeping with coffee a happy coincidence, or is it a sign of changes in the way farmers approach their harvest? Sophie told STiR that it bodes well as a sign of sustainable agriculture. "They are contributing to sustainable agriculture by supporting the much-needed bee population," said Short, adding that it bodes well as a sign of sustainable agriculture. "The use of herbicides and pesticides dramatically decreased the bee population. It's not uncommon to see coffee producers using biodiverse farming techniques to improve their crops and pad their income." And just as beekeeping helped Ugandan farmers get the most out of their coffee, it seems like the relationship isn't just one-sided. A study by Dr. Sarah Arnold of the University of Greenwich showed that bees also get a buzz from caffeine and become more effective pollinators as a result. "Honeybees are a very important component of the ecosystem, providing services and highly valuable products to people especially during the dry season," said Patrice Kasanganki, a NARO researcher. What does the future hold for the coffee industry in Uganda? Yields and income are on the rise, but the life of a coffee farmer isn't an easy one. Farmers in the highlands of Uganda battle with poor soil. Climate change makes the weather even more unpre- dictable, and roads can be cut at any moment, separating farmers from their crops. But farmers in Uganda are up for the challenge. The scent of jasmine lingers over the robusta plants once more. And in this small corner of East Africa, the coffee fields are alive with the buzz of bees and farmers going about their work, together. "Honeybees are a very important component of the ecosystem, providing services and highly valuable products to people especially during the dry season." – Patrice Kasanganki, NARO researcher The robusta species is cross-pollinating and depends on bees, the wind, or other passers-by for assistance. (Photo credit: Andrew Hetzel.)

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