Excelsa Coffee: A Climate-Resistant Hope for South Sudan’s Farmers
March 09 - 2025
Coffee Geography Magazine
Catherine Bashiama a coffee farmers in South Sudan who expects her first fruit buds very soon. This moment marks a significant milestone for her, as she had never grown coffee in her village in western South Sudan before. Now, she hopes this rare climate-resistant variety will help lift her family out of poverty.
Bashiama, a mother of 12, dreams of sending her children to school so they can become the future generation. Her determination reflects the aspirations of many in her community, where Excelsa coffee is emerging as a beacon of hope. Discovered over a century ago in South Sudan, Excelsa is capturing the attention of cash-strapped locals and drawing international interest amid a global coffee crisis fueled largely by climate change. As major coffee-producing countries struggle with increasingly erratic weather patterns, prices have soared to their highest levels in decades, prompting the industry to search for resilient solutions.
Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer, is expected to see a 12 percent drop in this year’s harvest due to severe drought. This underscores the urgent need for alternatives like Excelsa, which thrives in harsh conditions where other coffee varieties fail. Native to South Sudan and a handful of other African countries, including the Central African Republic and Uganda, Excelsa is also cultivated in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Its deep roots, thick leathery leaves, and robust trunk enable it to withstand extreme heat and drought, while its natural resistance to common pests and diseases makes it a promising candidate for sustainable cultivation.
Despite its potential, Excelsa currently makes up less than 1 percent of the global coffee market, far behind the dominant Arabica and Robusta varieties. Experts emphasize that Excelsa must demonstrate its practicality on a larger scale to help bridge the market gap created by climate change. For now, however, it offers a lifeline to farmers like Bashiama and her neighbors, who see it as a pathway to a better future.
Bashiama turned to coffee farming after her husband was injured and could no longer help cultivate maize and groundnuts, their primary sources of income. Since the accident, she has struggled to afford school fees for her children or buy enough food for her family. Another farmer, 37-year-old Taban John, hopes to use his coffee earnings to buy a bicycle, which would make it easier to transport and sell his other crops, such as groundnuts and cassava, in town. He also dreams of providing school uniforms for his children.
Community leaders view Excelsa as an opportunity for financial independence. They note that many people in the region rely on government or foreign aid, but when that support is inconsistent, families struggle to meet their basic needs. Coffee farming, they believe, could provide a more sustainable solution.
However, for coffee to truly thrive in South Sudan, locals stress the need for a long-term mindset and stability. Elia Box, a farmer who lost half of his coffee crop to a fire in early February, plans to replant but feels discouraged by the challenges he faces. The lack of law and order, he says, makes it difficult to hold people accountable for such losses. He reflects that during times of conflict, people often prioritize short-term survival over long-term investments like coffee farming. For coffee to flourish, he believes, peace is essential.
As Catherine Bashiama and her community continue to nurture their coffee trees, they hold onto the hope that Excelsa will not only transform their lives but also contribute to a more resilient global coffee industry. Their story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the potential of innovation in the face of adversity.