Tanzanian farmers receive rust-resistant seedlings

The Tanzanian Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) has marked International Coffee Day on 1 October by distributing seedlings of disease and drought resistant coffee varieties to farmers. The giveaway is part of an effort to boost the sector’s productivity in the face of growing environmental challenges. Through support from the European Union, TaCRI has developed second-generation compact coffee hybrid varieties that have now been handed over to farmers. These consist of 38 compact breeding lines that are resistant to Coffee Berry Disease, with 36 of those also being resistant to Coffee Leaf Rust.