Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1542133
10 STiR coffee and tea | 2025 Quarter 4 Winter (Dec/Jan/Feb) WCR Initiative Innovea Recognized Among TIME's Best Inventions World Coffee Research's Innovea Global Coffee Breeding Network has earned a prestigious spot on TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of 2025 list, marking a transformative moment for the global coffee industry. The initiative unites governments and research institutions across Latin America, Africa, and Asia to accelerate genetic improvement of coffee varieties, addressing one of agriculture's most pressing challenges. Launched in 2022, Innovea represents an unprecedented collaborative approach to developing coffee varieties that can withstand climate change and diseases such as leaf rust, which currently threaten crops worldwide. The network brings together nine national partners that collectively produce over 40% of the world's coffee, including Costa Rica, Ghana, the United States, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Rwanda, Vietnam, and Uganda. These countries have already begun breeding trials this year, utilizing cutting-edge genomic selection and modern breeding methodologies that were previously unavailable to individual national research programs. By leveraging advanced breeding tools and fostering global cooperation, Innovea is creating enhanced genetics at an unprecedented pace. TIME Magazine's annual best inventions list highlights 300 extraordinary innovations changing how people live, work, and thrive. Each contender was evaluated on originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact. Being included alongside groundbreaking technologies underscores the critical importance of coffee breeding to global food security and economic sustainability. "Innovea embodies the power of global scientific collaboration," said Dr. Jennifer Long, CEO of World Coffee Research. "We are honored that TIME has recognized Innovea as a transformative force for the global coffee sector. We share this with the 11 partners around the world who make up this unprecedented collaboration network." While farmers will likely wait until 2037 for new, more resilient varieties, this shorter timeline represents a significantly faster development process than traditional breeding approaches. The accelerated pace stems from shared genetic repositories, coordinated field trials across diverse environments, and collaborative data analysis that individual countries couldn't achieve working independently. The network's demand-led breeding approach ensures that varieties meet specific needs — from enhanced disease resistance and reduced pesticide requirements to high-quality production at lower elevations. This is crucial as climate change pushes traditional growing regions toward unsustainable conditions. By Bhavi Patel Innovea's first-of-its-kind speed breeding program for arabica varieties addresses the major issues facing the future of coffee head-on. Photo credit: World Coffee Research Saudi Arabia Builds Largest Coffee Farm in the Middle East The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates the region's first coffee-producing city, a massive agricultural hub in Ma'shuqa, in Al-Baha province, where 500,000 coffee trees have been planted. Covering an area of 1.6 million square meters, the city's high altitude, cooler climate, and abundant rainfall lead to fertile soil, making it the ideal location for growing world-class arabica coffee. Initially, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture signed a 15-year investment contract with the Baljurashi Agricultural Cooperative Society to establish the Kingdom's first coffee city with a plan of growing 300,000 coffee trees in 2021. Then, the Agricultural Development Fund and the Baljurashi Agricultural Cooperative Society signed a financing agreement worth 72 million Saudi riyals ($19.4 million) for the Coffee City project in August 2023. Now, the site is the largest coffee farm in the Middle East. The city plans to plant an additional 100,000 coffee trees, supported by a dedicated factory, a roastery, modern irrigation systems, and transport infrastructure. It aims to become the premier destination for coffee produc- tion and export, both locally and regionally, and to create an integrated agricultural experience that combines heritage and modern technologies to promote a sustainable agricultural economy. The mission is to supply more than 10,000 tons annually to local and international markets. Investments and plans are in the works to help Al-Baha's neighboring provinces enter the coffee industry as well. Asir Province has 13 coffee- Saudi Arabia heavily invests in the development of the Kingdom's coffee sector, converting Al-Baha (pictured above) into the largest coffee farm in the Middle East. producing governorates as of 2024. The number of farms has also significantly increased, with an expectation of reaching 1,400 farms by 2025, and the number of coffee trees rising to approximate- ly 350,000. Asir produces two main types of coffee: Adini and Shabraqi, both high-quality arabica varieties known for their unique flavor. By Mainbayar Badarch Coffee Report