A nearly forgotten wild coffee species from West Africa, Coffea stenophylla, is re-emerging as a significant subject of research and development for the global coffee industry. Led by botanist Aaron Davis, efforts to reintroduce the species are driven by its potential to offer climate resilience. The plant is notable for its ability to thrive in warmer conditions than C. arabica while producing a cup profile that has been compared to high-quality specialty coffees.
C. stenophylla was commercially grown until the early 20th century but fell into obscurity, with the last documented wild sighting dating back to the 1950s. The species was rediscovered in a forest in Sierra Leone in 2018 by a team including Davis, local researcher Daniel Sarmu, and Jeremy Haggar of the University of Greenwich. A key attribute of the species is its tolerance for average annual temperatures around 25°C, which is significantly higher than the ideal range for Arabica, making it a candidate for cultivation in regions impacted by rising global temperatures.
Initial samples sent for evaluation yielded promising results, with a London-based specialty roaster describing the cup profile as comparable to a high-quality Rwandan Red Bourbon. These findings, published in a 2021 scientific paper, sparked interest from roasters and traders for both direct cultivation and hybridization programs. Despite challenges in funding and scaling, pilot programs with dozens of farmers in Sierra Leone are now underway, signaling continued industry belief in stenophylla's commercial future as a climate-adapted specialty coffee.