According to The Guardian, to produce 1 kg of coffee requires 18,900 liters of water, equivalent to 130 liters of water needed to make a standard cup of coffee (125 liters). As of 2021, the total coffee-growing area in Vietnam has expanded to 710,000 hectares, with the Tay Nguyen region accounting for a significant 92% of the total area, helping Vietnam become a coffee exporting powerhouse in the world.
Due to the effects of climate change in the past five years, coffee productivity in Tay Nguyen is under threat resulting from a series of environmental consequences, particularly the lack of water resources (Mekongeye, 2023).
In the pursuit of finding water for the coffee industry, minority farmers often face significant challenges. The rising costs of fertilizers and pesticides, coupled with inadequate capital for drilling deep wells to access underground water sources for irrigation, have resulted in farmers who grow coffee directly earning less than 10% of the overall profits.
What is the solution to balance the environment and trade fairness for coffee growers?
A team of lecturers from the Smart Agriculture and Sustainability program at Vietnam Japan University (VJU) conducted an experiment on the “Forest Coffee Model” in collaboration with at least five farming households in Tay Nguyen and Tay Bac. The lecturers from VJU pointed out that guiding farmers to adopt sustainable coffee farming models, reducing input costs, and improving the quality of coffee beans to ensure appropriate selling prices is the solution to help maintain environmental balance and ensure fair trade for coffee growers.
The launch project has yielded some positive outcomes, including:
- Find suitable seed sources for each region;
- Symbiotic farming method with grass and other crops to reduce pests, maintain soil moisture and create a unique flavor for coffee in each region;
- Deep processing method equivalent to international standards.
VJU’s coffee products are the ultimate symbol of responsible business practices and development philosophy, aimed at promoting environmental balance and fair trade for coffee growers.
Join VJU and UNDP to create positive turning points, contributing to the journey of raising awareness about responsible business by participating in the “Responsible” Coffee Box Design Contest with a total prize of up to 3,000,000 VND. In addition, you can attend the event “Is Responsible Business Stronger?” on February 29, 2024, at The Green One United Nations House (GOUNH). Don’t miss out on this opportunity to contribute to the journey of responsible business.
- Registration Form: https://forms.gle/dATCihpEeGnFWzQD6
- Submission Period: From January 16, 2024, to February 15, 2024
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