Coffee is one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages and one of its most heavily traded products. This year marks the first observance of International Coffee Day. It aims to raise awareness about the cultural, social and historical significance of coffee, as well as its economic and environmental impacts, food security and nutrition.
Around 25 million farming households, largely in developing countries, produce about 80 % of the world’s coffee. Brazil, Viet Nam and Colombia lead global production, while the European Union and the United States of America are the largest importing and consuming markets.
Coffee provides economic benefits at each step of the global value chain and contributes significantly to the economies of both exporting and importing countries, while also supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Economic importance
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide and ranks among the most widely traded commodities globally. For many low-income countries, coffee exports represent an important source of revenue, generating foreign currency reserves essential for securing access to global markets for the import of goods and services.
In July of 2026, global exports of all forms of coffee increased by 3.3% to 12.23 million bags, compared with 11.84 million bags in July 2025. Coffee sustains the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across four continents. But the conditions that make coffee possible – the right temperatures, reliable rainfall, fertile soils – are shifting in ways that cannot be ignored.
A climate-sensitive crop
Coffee, particularly the Arabica variety, thrives in cool tropical climates at high elevations, but these growing conditions are increasingly threatened by environmental change. Extreme temperatures, irregular rainfall, drought, excessive rain, pests and plant diseases can affect yields, quality, labour requirements and prices. FAO reports that global beverage markets remain exposed to weather shocks, supply constraints, pest outbreaks and disruptions in logistics, with consequences felt unevenly across value chains.
Meeting these challenges will require a significant transformation of coffee cultivation. Climate-resilient agroforestry, soil and water conservation, crop diversification, forest protection, improved planting material and timely climate information can help farms adapt and become more resilient. Such approaches must be tailored to local landscapes and to the needs of farming communities.
Since coffee supports food security mainly through income and employment, the changing climate is a serious threat. When farming households earn stable and adequate returns, they are better able to buy nutritious food, invest in their farms and withstand economic or climate shocks. Making coffee farming more productive and more profitable is itself one of the most powerful buffers against climate risk.