Vietnam, Dak Lak

Sustainable practices in a prime producing area of the country

Quickfacts

Key Results
Project Name	Promotion of sustainable robusta production in Dak Lak province
Project Description	Development of a technology package of sustainable production in a prime coffee producing area in Vietnam and support to implementation; link to the national rolling out program
Beneficiaries	400
- Competitiveness	Improved agricultural practices contributed to reduced agro-chemical inputs and irrigation water (40% without decrease in yield). Portrayed and assessed by the FFB farmers could increase efficiency of their operations and income.
- Living Conditions	Sustainable natural resource management improved living conditions through protection of drinking water and prevention of soil pollution.
- Environmental Conditions	Together with the reduction in the use of irrigation water and agro-chemicals farmers´ awareness of careful use of natural resources could be raised.
Project Duration	Jan 2005 - Dec 2009
International Partners	Nestlé, Neumann Kaffee Gruppe, Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung, German Agency for Development Cooperation (GTZ)
Local Partners	Agricultural Extension Centre, Agricultural Extension Station, CafeControl, Department for Agricultural and Rural Development, Western Highlands Agro-forestry, Sciences and Technical Institute, Central Highlands Soil Research Centre, Rural Development Dak Lak/GTZ, Vietnam Coffee & Cocoa Association

Results

Mrs. Phuong is a dedicated mother of two kids, a successful trainer and sustainable coffee producer. She joined the project in 2005 and with project support and guidance from the Women´s Union, a specific training programme for women farmers, because as she believes, “Our women are under-estimated. Our husbands are often invited to attend trainings organised by the project, while we women often don’t know about it. However, we are active and committed workers on our coffee fields and are interested in participating. I believe that through the Women´s Union I may be able to set up a complementary training programme that can contribute to furthering the success of this project.“

Due to her achievements she has recently been elected by her classmates in the Farmer Field School to represent the community on a high ranking meeting at the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam’s capital city Hanoi, where she will represent the farmers’ view on sector development needs.

Challenge

In Vietnam agricultural extension is provided through governmental institutions with a wide and fine network down to village level. Nevertheless the system is rather weak in methodological approach and lacks both human and financial resources to train coffee farmers sufficiently. Many of them do not have the information on field management they would need to become independent of the collectors and gain greater market access.

Actions Taken

Like Mrs. Phoung 400 farmers in the Dak Lak province have have attended the Farmer Field School training since 2005, where the first 120 beneficiaries of the project could reduce their production costs by an average 200USD per ha. Overall it can be said that farmers have improved their sustainable production practices and already 50% of beneficiaries have now reached verification under the 4C programme. More verbal and pro-active participation of farmers and local trainers within the training programme improve its quality, the farmers themselves acting as multipliers of knowledge.

Moreover, the Ministry for Agricultural and Rural Development was so impressed with the projects results that they decided to develop a national coffee sector programme along the lines of the implementation of the original project with a clear focus on the benefit of the farmers.