In 2023, World Coffee Research (WCR) fortified a core tenet of its work that has been a driving force since the organization’s conception: a brighter future for coffee depends on innovation. WCR’s team, distributed across 17 countries globally, continued their crucial work with this mantra situated at center stage—generating actionable, science-based solutions for farmers and producing nations in the face of climate change and coffee’s looming investment gap in agricultural research & development (R&D).
“Creating better coffee varieties gives farmers choices, fills consumers’ cups with joy, and creates the foundation for flourishing and sustainable coffee businesses for generations to come,” said Chief Executive Officer Dr. Jennifer “Vern” Long. “In short, innovation allows us to define the world we want to live in and to use science as a tool to get us there. This year, with strong backing from our member companies and national research partners around the world, we’ve forged ahead in this journey, making a brighter future not only possible but probable.”
The 2023 annual report includes updates on WCR’s four major program areas—breeding, trials, nursery, and global leadership—and highlights from the progress that the organization has made over the past year alongside its global members and partners.
Note: Spanish, German, and Japanese versions of the 2023 annual report will be available in the coming weeks.