Brewing a Future: Nestlé Harnesses AI to Cultivate Climate-Resilient Coffee Plants

Nestlé is making significant strides in combating climate change’s impact on coffee cultivation by leveraging advanced data science and artificial intelligence (AI). As climate change threatens the delicate balance required for growing high-quality coffee, Nestlé’s innovative approach aims to safeguard one of the world’s most beloved beverages.

The Coffee Crisis

Over 70% of the world’s coffee production relies on arabica beans, prized for their superior flavour but notorious for their sensitivity to rising temperatures and susceptibility to diseases. Climate change exacerbates these vulnerabilities, reducing arable land and causing water shortages that significantly hamper coffee yields.

The AI Advantage

To address these challenges, Nestlé’s team of scientists is pioneering the development of more resilient arabica varieties. Central to this effort is the creation of a high-quality arabica reference genome using state-of-the-art genomics and data science methods. This genome acts like a detailed map, allowing researchers to pinpoint genetic markers linked to desirable traits such as drought resistance, disease resilience, and improved yields.

Analyzing Coffee Traits

“Our new reference is like a high-quality map of a big city,” explains Jeroen Dijkman, head of Nestlé’s Institute of Agricultural Sciences. “It will help us identify key genetic markers in the arabica genome that are responsible for specific traits in adult plants. This will help our plant scientists and other experts better identify, select, and breed new and improved arabica coffee varieties.”

Collaborative Efforts and Global Impact

This groundbreaking work, published in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics, was achieved through collaboration with the French National Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) and various academic partners worldwide. The research utilized cutting-edge genomics techniques, including long and short reads high throughput sequencing, to produce a comprehensive and continuous arabica reference genome.

Patrick Descombes, senior expert in Genomics at Nestlé Research and a co-author of the study, highlights the significance of their achievement: “While other public references for arabica do exist, the quality of our team’s work is extremely high. We used state-of-the-art genomics approaches to create an advanced, complete, and continuous arabica reference.”

Real-World Application

Nestlé’s advancements are not just theoretical. The company is already working with farmers in key sourcing regions to cultivate elite coffee varieties developed through their plant science expertise. In 2022 alone, over six million plantlets were distributed under the Nescafé Plan 2030, a testament to the practical impact of their research.

Conclusion: A Bright Future for Coffee Lovers

By marrying traditional agricultural practices with cutting-edge technology, Nestlé is ensuring that the future of coffee remains bright and flavorful despite the challenges posed by climate change. Through these efforts, coffee lovers around the world can look forward to enjoying their favorite brew for generations to come. Nestlé’s dedication to sustainability and innovation not only promises to protect coffee cultivation but also sets a benchmark for how technology can be harnessed to address global agricultural challenges.