With average temperatures in Uganda expected to increase by 2 degrees Celsius in the coming decades, coffee, the country’s most important cash crop, is expected to suffer. According to a piece by IPS News Agency, areas below 1,300 meters will likely become unsuitable for Arabica coffee production, whereas those between 1,300-1,700 meters will be compromised for coffee unless production systems are adapted. Based on work done by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and partner organizations, intercropping coffee with banana is one such alternative as shade from the taller banana plants can reduce temperatures for the coffee plants by 2 degrees Celsius or more. One of the disadvantages of coffee and banana intercropping is that it increases competition for water, nutrients and light, but these effects can be minimised by applying agronomic practices such as pruning and fertilization.
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