| dc.description.abstract | In this perspective, we draw on recent scientific research on the coffee leaf rust (CLR) epidemic that
severely impacted several countries across Latin America and the Caribbean over the last decade, to
explore how the socioeconomic impacts from COVID-19 could lead to the reemergence of another rust
epidemic. We describe how past CLR outbreaks have been linked to reduced crop care and investment in
coffee farms, as evidenced in the years following the 2008 global financial crisis. We discuss relationships
between CLR incidence, farmer-scale agricultural practices, and economic signals transferred through
global and local effects. We contextualize how current COVID-19 impacts on labor, unemployment,
stay-at-home orders, and international border policies could affect farmer investments in coffee plants
and in turn create conditions favorable for future shocks. We conclude by arguing that COVID-19’s socioeconomic
disruptions are likely to drive the coffee industry into another severe production crisis. While this
argument illustrates the vulnerabilities that come from a globalized coffee system, it also highlights the
necessity of ensuring the well-being of all. By increasing investments in coffee institutions and paying
smallholders more, we can create a fairer and healthier system that is more resilient to future socialecological
shocks. | es_ES |
