Vietnamese Study Finds Coffee Grown with Drip Irrigation can Substantially Reduce its Environmental Impact – CoffeeTalk

A recent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study by Orbia Advance Corporation’s Precision Agriculture group, Netafim, highlights the substantial environmental benefits of drip irrigation for coffee cultivation in Vietnam, specifically in Dak Lak province. It shows that coffee grown using this method can reduce environmental impacts by nearly 60%, particularly in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP). This reduction is achieved through enhanced yield, lower water use, energy consumption, and a decreased overall carbon footprint compared to traditional overhead irrigation methods.

Coffee, a vital global commodity cultivated over 10 million hectares, is predominantly grown by smallholder farmers in producer countries like Vietnam, Brazil, and Colombia. However, the sector faces increasing challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, and rising input costs, necessitating the efficient use of resources for long-term sustainability. Rising Robusta coffee prices and heightened consumer demand for ethically sourced coffee further amplify the need for improved irrigation practices.

The LCA, conducted over a three-year period from 2022 to 2024, compared drip irrigation to common overhead sprinkler irrigation in Robusta coffee cultivation. Key findings from this research include:

• Yield Performance: Drip irrigation technology increased yields by over 50% per hectare, enabling farmers to produce more with fewer resources.
• Carbon Footprint: The carbon footprint and GWP of Robusta coffee cultivation were reduced by approximately 60%, attributed to decreased energy consumption and improved efficiency in input utilization.
• Water Use: Implementing drip irrigation resulted in a water consumption reduction of about 56%, minimizing usage to less than half that of overhead irrigation per ton of coffee produced.
• Chemical Usage: There was a 46% decline in chemical use per ton of coffee beans, indicating a shift towards more sustainable agricultural practices.

These results are informed by Orbia Netafim’s Coffee Protocol, which consists of evidence-backed best practices tailored to address specific climate conditions, terrains, and coffee varieties. Over six decades of research and collaboration in various countries have shaped these practices, which translate precision irrigation into measurable benefits for growers.

The urgency for coffee producers to enhance productivity amid challenges such as resource scarcity and rising costs has made precision irrigation a practical and scalable solution. Ram Lisaey, Global Agronomy head at Orbia Netafim, emphasized that these initiatives help farmers maintain higher yields while minimizing resource use, bolstering chain resilience and supporting ESG targets.

This LCA is part of Orbia Netafim’s broader initiatives to create crop-specific assessments aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Previous studies on corn and potato farming have shown similar findings, underscoring the potential for improving agricultural practices across various crops. As climate conditions evolve and pose risks to coffee production, the adoption of technologies that optimize resource use becomes increasingly critical for the future of the industry.

Red More @ Yahoo