Much More than a Simple Cup: An Examination of Coffee and Climate Change in Guatemala Jessica Hook Biehl International Research Fellowship Environment & Sustainability, Sewanee: The University of the South Abstract Coffee is the second most valuable commodity in the world behind petroleum, both of which are energy sources. In Guatemala, coffee not only fuels upper class businessmen and women, but also significantly contributes to the country's economy and global trade. For generations, Guatemalan families and people have depended on coffee as a source of income. Either by tending the fields, managing a farm, running a co­op, selling fertilizers and fungicides, or even working at the coffee shop on the corner of the street, thousands of Guatemalans depend on coffee. In recent years however, fluctuating temperature, rain patterns and the corresponding infestations have put the entire market and everyone involved at risk. Through interviews with farmers, producers, and cooperatives, this research presents insight into the issues, solutions and awareness of the Guatemalan people on coffee’s vulnerability to climate change. These conversations, combined with literature on the subject and dendrochronology, delve into the complexities of environmental research, both social and scientific. Six weeks of investigations conclude with the realization that sustainable coffee is essential to the Guatemalan economy and culture, however for coffee to continue flourishing, cooperations between producers are necessary. Introduction One rainy Monday morning, a woman from Birmingham, Alabama gets ready for work. Stressed by the idea of the 40­hour workweek ahead, her preparations for the day are frantic. Before heading out the door, she makes time to pour herself a freshly brewed cup of coffee. The fragrant smell, warmth, and soothing surge of energy all combine into one peaceful moment of bliss. A simple cup of coffee to start off an otherwise hectic day. The very same Monday morning, a farmer from Mataquescuintla, Guatemala gets ready for work. On the steep hillsides of his land, he produces mainly coffee and avocados. A cup of fresh coffee starts off his day as well, brewed from last year’s successful yield of Arabica beans. This year, however, the coffee is not looking so prosperous. Roya, also known as coffee leaf rust, has been plaguing the leaves of his coffee bushes. Coffee to him, is far from simple. It is a complex, unpredictable process upon which his income and life depend. All types of people from different cultural, economic and environmental situations are connected by coffee. Many see the beverage as either a simple ritual to start off their days, a way to connect with a friend, or a means to sustain energy. To others, this drink is a complex science and culinary creation practiced only by the most civilized societies. Simultaneously coffee is seen as a product of nature, wild and unpredictable, deriving out of the most lush, beautiful and biodiverse places on earth. Guatemala is among the ten largest coffee exporting countries in the world, employing over 90,000 farmers on over 600,000 acres of land. Coffee, especially to Guatemalans, is not just a product but a complex system with many variables, all extremely vulnerable to changing climate conditions. Consistent rainy and dry seasons are two main variables required for coffee’s optimal growth. However recently, Guatemalan coffee farmers have been experiencing inconsistent and unpredictable rainy and dry seasons, significantly decreasing productivity. Further adding stress to farms is an ongoing battle taking place all over the country between farmers and Roya. The inconsistent seasons and the predicted temperature rises around Central America have already been seen to drastically affect the Guatemalan economy, with the likely possibility of getting worse. This research investigates the issues faced by variety of coffee farmers ­­ independent or corporations, large or small ­­ in addition to examining awareness and solutions for those issues. Paired with interviews and literary research, I took part in dendrochronological fieldwork assisting Diego Pons Gandini with his PhD research through the University of Denver. We collected samples of the Abies Guatemalensis (commonly named the Guatemalan Fir) mainly in the western highlands of Guatemala, in order to construct a climate proxy for this subtropical region. Diego plans to use information gained from his samples to develop an understanding of Guatemala’s past precipitation patterns, thus improving existing climate models. These upgraded models will help gain insight into possible future climate scenarios and conditions. An accumulation of research methods ­ social and scientific ­ explore many facets of coffee and climate change in Guatemala, specifically examining the sustainability of coffee for the Guatemalan economy, people and environment. Figure 1: A cluster of ripening coffee cherries Coffee Agriculture: An Overview Coffee is a crop that is cultivated exclusively among lower latitudes and in tropical environments. Many developing countries, located in this part of the world, environmentally and socially, are prime locations for growing coffee. Additionally these countries, such as Guatemala, are home to some of the poorest people in the world who provide vast amounts of work cultivating and harvesting crops for very little compensation. Environmentally, Guatemala's natural tropical ecosystems and associated high levels of biodiversity provide a multitude of conditions prime for agriculture. Unlike most agricultural crops produced in mass quantities, coffee shade systems can provide additional biodiverse environments without sacrificing higher yields. Largely due to these shade systems that dominate Guatemalan coffee agriculture, the beans produced from this region are regarded to be among the world’s finest. Figure 2: Cross section of a Coffee Cherry The coffee bean itself is a multi­faceted organism, commonly referred to as the coffee cherry. This name comes from its outer appearance when the bean is ripe. The outer layer called the pulp, transitions from a bright green to a deep red as it matures. Following the pulp is parchment, generally characterized as a white paper­like substance. The bean itself looks like two separate pieces located in the center of everything else, lined with a small layer of silverskin. Together these layers provide a system of protection from harmful elements. However, coffee cherries also easily become faulty with infestations, abnormalities, or physical damage. The state of the bean by the end of the whole operation ­ from harvesting to processing ­­ can determine the quality of the coffee distributed. The quality of coffee is affected by several aspects ­­ what type of bean, Arabica or Robusta, shade density, and processing methods. Arabica beans are considered to surpass Robusta beans in regard to taste. However, Arabica can be difficult to grow successfully, due to a sensitivity moisture and temperature. Robusta coffee is a resilient bean to environmental changes, thus appealing to those producers who are concerned with quantity over quality. Both varieties can be grown in shade or sun systems. Shade grown coffee is a traditional system that sustains high quality coffee in addition to substantial levels of biodiversity. Depending on the density, shade­grown coffee presents an environment inclusive of several types of trees and other living organisms. Figure 3 depicts various levels of shade grown coffee all the way from “Rustic” to “Sun Coffee” which features no shade. Sun grown coffee systems provide very little to no biodiversity. However they are preferred by some farmers due to high yields in short amounts of time. These crops maintain a shorter lifespan compared to shade grown systems and generally require significantly more pesticides and fungicides to maintain plant health. Figure 3 : different levels of shade coffee & corresponding biodiversity Source: Modified from Moguel and Toledo, cited in Ivette Perfecto and John Vandermeer Processing also affects overall quality and is generally broken up into two categories ­­ the dry method and the wet method. Most common to Guatemalan farmers is the wet method that utilizes water to sort the cherries by quality. Those of which are denser and higher in quality sink to the bottom, leaving those that have some sort of deformity to remain on top. The beans, now separated, then ferment in large bins for several days until they are sent to dry on either a patio or in a mechanical dryer depending on the weather conditions. Due to the enormous amounts of water used, the wet method is seen as environmentally unfriendly. Without this process however, sorting would become less efficient and the beans would not mature correctly, resulting in sacrificed quality. The dry method however, simply spreads the full cherries on a surface, afterwards slowly sorting, sifting and picking out deformed cherries. While more sustainable, this method decreases the quality of the coffee due to the higher frequency of contaminants. Plagues and Troubles Facing Guatemalan Coffee Fungi Roya (coffee leaf rust) and Ojo de Gallo (“eye of the chicken”), are two airborne fungi that plague and decimate many coffee plants in Guatemala. Both fungi are very recognizable, and if caught early, can easily be treated. However when not attended, they spread at alarming rates. Carriers of the fungi include wind, rain, and human contact. High­density shade plantations are found more susceptible to Ojo de Gallo. The fungus greatly inhibits plant's productivity, eventually causing the diseased leaf to drop. Recognizable characteristics of Ojo de Gallo include leaves covered in dry, white spots, rimmed with yellow, resembling eyes. Roya, found mainly on the underside of leaves, forms clusters of round orange, dusty­looking spores. This too attacks mainly the leaves, significantly hindering productivity. Treatments include fungicide and careful observation to eliminate any infected leaves before they can spread to others. Infestations Broca, also known as the coffee borer beetle, is a small yet deadly insect. Adults resemble small black beetles while larvae are white worms with brown heads. They attack coffee directly at the cherry, boring into the center where they lay their eggs. These insects prove difficult due to their evasive appearance and fast growing rate. Environmental Coffee requires very specific growing conditions to produce a successful, quality crop. Grown mainly in tropical or subtropical regions, coffee flourishes at high altitudes between 600m and 2500m with resulting fairly consistent cool temperatures between 60­80 degrees Fahrenheit. These geographic regions usually experience rather dramatic temperature changes between day and night, an aspect of growth that contributes to the coffee cherry’s maturation process. The specialized growing conditions for coffee make the produce extremely susceptible to environmental change, especially regarding precipitation levels. Unfortunately, in recent years, Guatemala has been experiencing both temperature increases and inconsistent rain seasons, throwing the coffee agricultural into a state of panic. Examples from Various Regions In order investigate and obtain a holistic view of Guatemala’s coffee industry, I traveled to regions of Guatemala that vary greatly in culture and location, but are united in their ability to produce coffee. With geographic variability in mind, I established contacts and visited differentiated producer systems including small and large independent farms in addition to cooperatives. In each overview, location, size, strain, elevation, issues and methods of adaptation will be addressed. Although many of the organizations are experiencing the same types of challenges, it is evident through comparison that smaller independent farms in the east are experiencing much more hardship than cooperatives or producers in the west. Figure 4: A map featuring the different regions of Guatemala Source: 1997 MAGELLAN Geographix, cited from incrediblejourney.net Western Highlands/Huehuetenango Only July 15th, 2015 I visited ACODIHUE, or the ​Asociacion de Cooperacion al Desarrollo Integral de Huehuetenango, which roughly translates to the Cooperative Association of Complete Development of Huehuetenango. Social services and economic development are the two main focuses of ACODIHUE. Comprised of community members and small producers, the cooperative provides people with food security, education and health benefits in addition to business services including marketing, commercialization and economic development. Coffee is one of the cooperative’s largest agricultural projects with over 1200 producers. Over 80% of these producers are women, all of whom grow their crop in the Cuchumatanes mountains of Huehuetenango, around 1500 meters above sea level. ​Cafe de Mujer is a trademark that differentiates the product of these women from others, raising awareness for their situations. Many women left at home when their husbands migrate in search of employment, are left with no choice but to get a job as well. Managing both their families, and jobs in coffee production is arduous. Cafe de Mujer is an attempt to recognize their hard work and helps sustain these women, their families and the local economy. Recently, many of ACODEHUE’s coffee crops have suffered from environmental changes. Coffee crops located lower than 1500 meters have been experiencing insufficient rainfall and the Roya fungus. These curtail productivity and negatively affect the taste of the coffee. Controlling the quality and taste of the coffee beans is of the utmost importance to producers in Huehuetenango, historically reputable for some of the highest grade coffee in the world. With inconsistent rain patterns and the resulting lack of fermentation, there is an insufficient amount of time for the sugars to adequately mature. To an extent, especially in regards to rainfall, there are not many actions the cooperative can take to alleviate the negative outcomes. However, with fungi such as Roya, ACODEHUE is able to provide its producers with fungicides and other methods of control due to their strong cooperative capital. Many other farmers in Guatemala, independent of cooperatives, are not financially sound and thus unable to provide themselves with the necessary methods of adaptation to climatic changes. The next day, I visited a farm located a few miles outside of Todos Santos a town in the mountains not far from Huehuetenango. The land was cultivated and managed by a local named Filomeno, a 40­year­old man who had been working with coffee for over 15 years. Recently, Roya has plagued even his crops located around 2000m. This is rare at such altitudes, and a sign that conditions are worsening. As we hiked through the tall coffee bushes, located on a steep hillside, Filomeno told me about his experiences working with ACODEHUE for the past five years. Growing coffee has become increasingly difficult over his fifteen years of experience. However since he joined the cooperative, dealing with the fungi and other obstacles has proven easier, due to the support ACODEHUE is able to provide. Filomeno’s sole source of income is coffee. With the security provided by the cooperative, there are no overwhelming concerns to conflict with his ability to provide for his family, and his expectations for the future are bright. Retalhuleu Finca Santa Elena Finca Santa Elena is a 155­acre farm operated by the Rivera family in San Felipe, Retalhuleu, close to the eastern coast of Guatemala. Here the coffee is grown at an altitude around 750 meters, a lower elevation than a majority of Guatemalan coffee. In addition to coffee, Finca Santa Elena produces timber, bamboo, and dried bananas. The diverse agroforestry system provides the family with several sources of income, however 60% still relies on coffee. Shade grown Arabica is the main strain of Santa Elena’s coffee although they also grow a separate crop of the Robusta variety. With excessive shade, some of the Arabica plants have been plagued with the fungus Ojo de Gallo. However shade is a necessity to coffee at these altitudes and contributes to improving overall bean quality. Although shade results in a slower growth process that may not appeal to some producers, extra time provide by this system allows the cherries to mature, enhancing the acidity. The Rivera family, like many others, is engaged in a debate on whether to expand alternative crops, decreasing their dependency on coffee. Completely converting their crop is highly unlikely, however there is consideration to increasing Robusta production and decreasing shade density. These options conflict with several aspects including the associated decline in their historically reputable coffee quality, and the fears of venturing into less familiar agricultural pursuits. For now, their methods of adaptation include using both fungicides to attack the Ojo de Gallo, and pesticides to address the small infestation of Broca experienced on the farm. Alternatives to chemical pesticides include a system comprised of a cut plastic water bottle, painted red and filled with an attractive smelling concoction used to lure unexpecting beetles to their death by poison. ANACAFE After spending a few days at Finca Santa Elena, I went to visit ANACAFE’s research center just a few miles away. ANACAFE, also known as Guatemala’s national coffee association, is a private institution that handles promoting Guatemala in the coffee industry, dealing with exporting licenses, and advocating Guatemalan coffee in the world market. A board of directors, comprised of leaders in the coffee industry, all represent various cooperatives and associations across the country. All together ANACAFE amounts to an estimated 120,000 growers, making ANACAFE a very prominent part of Guatemala’s coffee economy. At the research center, they experiment with various strains and agricultural methods in pursuit of developing efficient coffee that adheres to their motto “Quality Services for Sustainable Coffee.” They practice techniques such as grafting to make stronger, infestation­resistant coffee hybrids. This is done by connecting a young Robusta root to an Arabica stalk and bean. Although Robusta is now a part of the plant, it does not mitigate the Arabica quality. Figure 5: A young Arabica leaf and stalk placed next to a Robusta root While touring the ANACAFE grounds, we passed by an expansive amount of palm oil trees. A recently popular crop, Palm oil is both easy to grow in subtropical regions and extremely valuable. Many environmentalists disapprove of the crop due to the eradication of highly biodiverse environments in order to make way for farms. The discovery of ANACAFE’s participation in the palm oil industry was surprising considering their large role in promoting and sustaining Guatemalan coffee. When I inquired about the switch, I was told the main reasons revolved around acquiring the finances to fund further research on coffee. With such changes however, one may wonder how the average Guatemalan farmer is expected to sustain life off of growing coffee if the country’s leader in the industry is converting to other crops. Jalapa/Mataquescuintla Finca Colina San Jacinto Finca Colina San Jacinto is a 2,500 acre farm located in Mataquescuintla, Jalapa. The coffee plants occupy around 400 acres, while the rest of the land is comprised of lumber, avocado and cinnamon. Pepino Quilo, also known as “Pepe” currently manages the land and a small house where he graciously let me stay. Purely Arabica beans, a majority of his coffee crop occupies land around 1600 meters in elevation. Currently, no herbicides are used, which not only eliminates another cost, but also helps prevent erosion due to the extra plants occupying the soil. The multitude of plants provides Pepe with the qualifications to be Rain Forest certified, distinguishing his product from others on the market. Despite his cost saving techniques and unique market niche, last year Pepe’s coffee experienced exponentially low sales. This and the unreliability of recent rainfall has caused him to stop expanding his coffee crop. For a short period of time, he experienced an outbreak of Ojo de Gallo, however cutting down some of the shade provided the plants the ability to recover over the next year. For more than 60 years, the Quilo family has owned and farmed the land, never before ceasing to expand their crop for environmental reasons. However, due to Pepe’s diversity of crops and security in the coffee industry, he was not distressed about the success of his crops in the near future. Nuevo Sendero Located in the small village of Chapas, Santa Rosa, is the main office of Nuevo Sendero, a cooperative associated with ANACAFE. Nuevo Sendero, or “New Path” is dedicated to providing support and reliability to local farmers that cultivate either corn, beans, sugar cane or coffee. All the producers are certified in UTZ, Starbucks, FLO, Nespresso AAA, Fair­trade and Rainforest Alliance. Farmers are generally able to keep their crops according to these certifications due to the funds provided by the cooperative. When Nuevo Sendero lends a farmer money for necessities such as fertilizers, the expectation is that with the next harvest the debt can be payed back. Many of the farmers have on average have 5 acres of land that enable them to establish sufficient control over any infestations that may arise. Due to this system, ANACAFE has recognized cooperatives such as these are able to efficiently manage problems such as Roya. Zacapa/Sierra de las Minas On the Eastern side of Guatemala, in the mountain range of Sierra de las Minas, lies a mid size coffee farm owned by Don Carlos. This family­run operation grows mainly Arabica beans that collectively cover close to 10 acres of land 1400m above sea level. Due to the elevation and location on the mountain range, this region has not been experiencing many dramatic temperature changes in comparison to other regions in the country. The infestations have recently been very limited, eliminating the need for large amounts of herbicides and fungicides. Recently the area has experienced a drought, negatively impacting the plants, the younger ones feeling most of the trauma. However the Carlos family is still pursuing expansion. Due to the prime temperature and location, each year they expand outwardly, but not up or down the slope. This is because even with a slight increase in elevation, the temperature would not be as reliable for successful growth. Out of all the farms visited, this family's coffee crop was the least distressed and only required limited actions to sustain the plants health. Alta Verapaz/Coban In the Alta Verapaz region of Guatemala, just outside of Coban, is the small finca San Jose Pancalach. Here is grown a combination of macadamia nuts and coffee. The coffee plants take up about 15 acres of land. Rather differently than all the other farms visited, San Jose Pancalach had a majority of their coffee in full sun. Mario, land manager, only successfully maintains his sun crops due to considerable use of fungicides and pesticides. These sun plots have remained fairly free of infestations, although in his shade plots, Roya has recently broke out. According to Mario however, these infestations can easily be handled by the best method of fertilization ­ shoes. This image reflects his beliefs that careful, personal care yields the healthiest crops. During the off­season, three other men assist him with maintaining this immaculate method of care. Although they have not received a formal education in agriculture and climate change, Mario claims they are just as knowledgeable about the dangers and possible solutions through hands­on experience. Besides these four men, the harvest season brings in at least 20 workers from around the area. According to Mario, these people, many of them women, are not aware or concerned with climate change. All they can do is focus on getting through each day with enough funds to sustain their families. Chimaltenango Chimaltenango, located in south central Guatemala, is home to the very small family farm called Finca Don Manuel. Since the 1980’s the family has been growing a variety of crops ­­ tomato, avocados corn etc ­­ while even maintaining livestock. Although a small operation, Finca Don Manuel has experience a good deal of success. Interestingly, ever since 1975, when the family first moved to the land, the population and associated buildings of Chimaltenango have grown exponentially, every year closing in around them. Figure six depicts a bird's eye view of the Finca, green and lush, encroached by the city’s developments. Figure 6: A bird's eye view of Finca Don Manuel surrounded by Chimaltenango Source: Google Maps Just this past year, their coffee crop took a rather large hit when a considerably harsh wave of Roya plagued many of their plants. With treatment by copper however, they were able to control the fungus without too many loses. Due to small size of the crop, their beans are sold locally along with their other crops including avocado, tomato and corn. The coffee of Finca Don Manuel was not so different from other small farms, however the mindset and view point of Ricardo Pons, the Finca manager, was especially interesting. To him, climate change is simply another temporary phase with various challenges and tribulations. Worrying about these changes is futile and distracts from solutions. He was aware that one viable solution may be to transition away from coffee to another crop. For him and his family, this is a viable option due to their manageable land size and additional income provided members who have commercial jobs in Guatemala City. According to Ricardo, change is unavoidable, and the best solution is to embrace and adapt without fear. Antigua Right outside the heart of Antigua is Finca Filadelfia. A popular tourist destination, this finca makes the coffee industry resemble a grand, organized and pristine industry. Those unfamiliar with the realities of coffee agriculture would be under the impression that this operation mirrors other Guatemalan coffee farms. The road leading to the center of the finca, paved with cobblestone and lined by pristine rows of bright green coffee and well trimmed grevillea trees, give the impression abundance and wealth. After experiencing many other legitimate coffee operations, this enterprise seemed almost comical. The coffee at Finca Filadelfia shared many of the same properties as any other crop. A majority located around 1600m in elevation, with the exception of a few plots closer 2000m. Here they produce strictly Arabica beans that have been grafted with Robusta roots. Their product is considered semi­organic due to very limited use of pesticides and fungicides. However, despite the finca’s large amount of funding and immaculate maintenance, they too have experienced problems with infestations such as Broca worms. In fact, during our tour, we found the worms in a ripe cherry I picked from a bush. Due to their very strong tourism industry and bountiful resulting funds, Finca Filadelfia is not particularly concerned with climate change of the near future. With money, comes the ability to adapt. Observations & Predictions
The juxtaposition of these several coffee farms and producers, makes apparent all types of Guatemalan coffee organizations ­­ small and large independent farms and cooperatives ­­ are experiencing hardships presented by climate change. Cooperatives with stable sources of funding seem to have a larger capacity and ability to adapt with obstacles presented, however even they have not been completely able to escape. In Figure 4, these two graphs provided by CIAT (International Center for tropical Agriculture), demonstrate the predicted loss of arable land from 2012 to 2050 due to climate change. In just 38 years, a substantial amount Figure 7: Current and predicted suitable areas for coffee production from 2012 to 2050 Source: CIAT 2012 of land could become unable to produce coffee. This scenario introduces probable event that would not only devastate the Guatemalan economy of, but also the thousands of citizens depending on coffee to survive. For many, completely converting their livelihoods would be the only viable option. By abandoning coffee, the environment of Guatemala would also sustain a calamitous blow. Crops that would take the place of coffee such as sugarcane and palm oil, while fairly profitable would not provide the beneficial ecosystem services shade coffee administers naturally. Some climate change is unavoidable and adaptation is key. Success for Guatemalan coffee growers, as supported by my investigations, will derive from joining forces with fellow farmers, establishing a medium of support and collaborative solutions. Dendrochronology: A Look into the Field Dendrochronology is a science used to examine the formation of tree rings in pursuit of information regarding temporal and spatial patterns revealed through the time. By analyzing the rings of a tree, reconstruction of past to present climate patterns is possible. The science of dendrochronology equips climatologists with valuable information including pollution and precipitation patterns in addition to information regarding past insect populations. Diego Pons Ganddini, a Fulbright Scholar from Guatemala, is currently studying for his PhD and working as a teaching assistant in the Department of Geography at the University of Denver. His past work has focused mainly on climate change adaption and mitigation in Guatemala with a particular focus on small coffee farmers. His past studies have developed information on carbon storage and biodiversity maintained by shade coffee. Dendrochronology is one of his methods to develop reconstructions of Guatemala’s past climate, information that is currently very limited due to the difficult nature of subtropical environments. The trees in such environments hold so much water that they do not create distinct rings, necessary for dendrochronology. However, in some remote high elevation locations, mainly in the Western Highlands, lives the​ Abies Guatemalensis. This tree is one of the few, native to Guatemala, that yield rings differentiated enough to collect accurate and helpful information. I was able to assist with collecting samples in the mountains of Xela and Sierra de las Minas. In both locations we sampled over 30 trees with at least two samples per tree. Although a rather exhausting process, we were rewarded by being in some of the most beautiful untouched places in Guatemala, in addition to retrieving informative samples that will undoubtedly reveal many qualities pertaining to the Guatemalan environment. Figure 8: Extracting a sample from the bore into an Abies Guatemalensis In order to gain access to these remote forests, Diego had to obtain permits and establish relationships with local leaders. These lands are highly valuable and sacred to many of the local communities. Tensions are currently high due to large corporations recently manipulating rural Guatemalan communities for the precious resources that lie around their homes. In order to avoid confrontation, we invited two locals to accompany our research providing an opportunity to both learn and observe that we were keeping our word and not misusing the land. Figure 8 shows hands of a local man extracting a fresh sample from a recently cored Abies. These samples were later taken to the Universidad del Valle in Guatemala City, where Diego studied his undergrad. They had all the necessary equipment for processing dendro samples. Here we dried, mounted, and sanded many of the samples. Sadly due to insufficient time, I was unable to help in recording and assessing the rings. Conclusions “To drink a beverage is to carry out a small ritual, an act that momentarily constructs a slightly more bearable, intelligible world from chaos that threatens at all times.” (Jamieson 2001: 279 ­ 280. As found in Tucker 2011: 43) This quote demonstrates a popular view with the beverage coffee ­ sweet, delicious provision of momentary peace away from the rest of the world. Six weeks examining the complexities of Guatemalan coffee and dangers of impending climate change have convinced me otherwise. The process of growing, cultivating, and producing the beans takes hard, long, sustained work. Managing coffee requires vigilance, education, and adaptability. Recent years have challenged farmers with one environmental obstacle after another. Threats to productivity and the sustainability of coffee have been occurring so fast and with such strength that many independent farmers are unable to react in time. Abandoning coffee all together is now on the minds of many independent farmers. The most strength lies within groups of producers and investors that collectively providing organized and efficient support systems. However, if predictions are accurate, by 2050, much of the Guatemalan land on which coffee flourishes will be physically unable to sustain its traditional crop. This is an issue not even cooperatives can conquer. With the loss of land will come the loss of thousands of jobs, biodiversity, and a part of Guatemalan culture that has developed from the coffee industry for many years. Environmental investigations such as dendrochronology are crucial to the Guatemalan coffee system. Studies such as Diego’s result in conversations and results that can help with the advancement of sustainability and adaptation of not only the coffee industry, but agricultural pursuits in subtropical regions worldwide. Issues such as climate change in relation to coffee are multi faceted problems that must be addressed by a multitude of departments ­­ environmental, social, economical etc. Behind that blissful moment that beloved beverage provides is a complex web ­­ every strand dependent on the other, utterly delicate and vulnerable, but beautiful and strong when united. Resources Tucker, Catherine M., 2011, ​Coffee Culture ­ Local Experiences, Global Connection. Perfecto, Ivette and Vandermeer, John. 2015. ​Coffee Agroecology.