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Cenicafé and the science of delicious Colombian coffee photo by Bill NYC Amateur Photos (via Flickr)

Cenicafé and the science of delicious Colombian coffee

by : Becky Johnson posted :

No tour of Colombia would be complete without enjoying the country's #1 product. Coffee is Colombia's largest export, and its arabica coffee beans are renowned as a premium coffee around the world. No one knows if the quality of the coffee is due to the volcanic soil, the unique weather, or the high elevation (or a combination of all three), but Colombia's lush environment seems to create the perfect growing conditions. Environmental advantages aside, one of the of the reasons Colombia remains at the top of the coffee-growing industry is the Cenicafé Research Center, which has been studying the production of coffee for 79 years.

Coffee berries
Coffee leaf rust
(left) Coffee berries. (right) Coffee leaf rust.

Uniquely and proudly Colombian

Part of the mission of the Cenicafé Research Center is to protect Colombia's specific brand from counterfeits in the market. Through specific testing, they are able to determine the specific "fingerprint" of Colombian coffee beans. Testing is conducted at various ports, and scientists can determine the soil and climate conditions of Colombian produced coffee. This prevents cheaper, inferior brands of coffee from coming through a port in Colombia and being labeled as a Colombian product.

Production and conservation

Another area of research at Cenicafé is how to reduce the amount of water needed to produce coffee. With growing concerns about climate change and access to clean, fresh water, scientists want to increase the sustainability of coffee production for years to come. The eco-mill they have created uses less water and produces less pollution. It's just one of the steps they are taking; others include reforestation and reducing the use of pesticides.


Colombian coffee
Colombian coffee

Tackling major problems

Diseases and pests are part of every farmer's life, and coffee growers are no exception. One of the worst battles coffee farmers currently face is the roya, or coffee leaf rust. This fungus was first discovered around 1869 and has plagued farmers everywhere, hitting South America, including Colombia, in the early 1980s. However, because of the work of the researchers at Cenicafé, Colombia was prepared. For years, Cenicafé had been developing resistant strains of coffee. Pests like the coffee borer beetle are also losing ground thanks to research on the climate and other pesticide-free ways to control this pest. Cenicafé Research Center is at the forefront of protecting Colombia's coffee, and they approach this job methodically and patiently, which is the secret of their success.

Protecting the future

Cenicafé Research Center lives and breathes coffee production and harvest. They have spent decades researching the genetics of coffee. No one knows more about soil, harvesting techniques, and genetic modification. With these ongoing efforts, scientists at Cenicafé hope to save Colombian coffee production from future threats, or at least be prepared for them.

Visit the Coffee Region with Uncharted Colombia and make time to check out the Cenicafé Research Center. It's a fascinating opportunity to learn about how coffee is grown, and the ongoing research and efforts to keep Colombia's coffee as the finest in the world. Colombia is waiting.

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