What will happen to the coffee if there is no one to harvest it?

Millions of coffee growers in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo are forced to abandon their lands due to fighting between the M23 rebel group and government forces. The violence, the number of internally displaced people, and the instability create a critical situation for the economic and agricultural future of the region. The growers are forced to flee before they can harvest their crops. The coffee beans left to rot in the fields decay because there is no one to pick or care for them. The abandoned plantations become easy targets. Young people, local residents, loot the coffee, often with the aim of ensuring their survival. The neglected coffee bushes weaken, the weeds grow and cover the land, the soil strength diminishes. The plants age, and in many cases, production is no longer sustainable. The region's agricultural infrastructure has been in decline for decades, lacking support and weak agricultural services. The volume of coffee exports has dramatically ...