The browning of plant tissues is a major constraint in plant tissue culture.This is especially true for embryogenic cells grown on a culture medium to produce true-to-type hybrid coffee via somatic embryogenesis. There isvery little information in the current literature of the rate of browning intensity involved the development stage of coffee callus.We investigated the use ofthe antioxidantcysteine (Cys) and activated charcoal (AC) to induce callus formation, reduce browning of the callus, and induce somatic embryos of Coffea arabica.Explants were cultured on MS media supplemented with Cys and AC. The study involved varying the Cys rates in the order of 30, 35, and 40 mg/L, as well as varying the AC rates in the order of 0.008%, 0.01%, and 0.08% (w/v). The statistical analysis of the results was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 14, with a significance level set at p<0.05. Neither anti-browningagent increased the rate of callus induction.The use ofMS+1 µM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) +5 µM 6-benzyl adenine (BA) media supplemented with 30 or 35 mg/LCys or 0.008% AC reduced the rate of tissue browning and induced a high rate of somatic embryo (SE) induction (80%, 84.21%, and 65%, respectively). SEstreated with30 mg/LCys couldbe germinated to the asynchronous developmental stages within six months.They couldbe converted to mature plantlets on MS without plant growth regulator hormones. Therefore, theuse ofCys and AC could be valuable for the propagation of Coffee arabicaL. cv. CatimorCIFC 7963.