World Coffee Research and the Launch of a Global Coffee Breeding Network

World Coffee Research (WCR) is a non-profit agricultural research organization formed by the world-wide coffee industry, with the recognition that innovation in coffee agriculture is necessary to deliver increased quality, reduce supply chain risk, and transform coffee producing into a profitable, sustainable livelihood that can meet rising demand. With a focused research portfolio centred on high performing coffee varieties, WCR is launching a global breeding network bringing together partners in many coffee producing countries.

Tania Humphrey is the Director of Research & Development (R&D) of World Coffee Research and oversees WCR’s research portfolio. She is passionate about innovation in agriculture and combines a business approach with a strong understanding of science to achieve real-world impact. Tania holds a Ph.D. in Plant Science from the University of Queensland, Australia, and, in her early career, she held research positions at both the University of Toronto and Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada. Prior to WCR, Tania served as the Vice President of R&D at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Canada where she led a team of scientists, engineers, and technical staff in plant variety development, biocontrol, and automation technologies for a wide variety of crops, including apples, greenhouse vegetables, roses and sweet potatoes.

tania@worldcoffeeresearch.org