Advancing coffee agroforestry in Viet Nam’s national Payments for Environmental Services (PES) policies

The Srepok river basin in Dak Lak, situated in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam, is experiencing increasing dryness, the large amounts of water used for irrigation in monocrop coffee farms being one of the main causes. Recognising the vital role coffee plays in the livelihood of the local community and aligning with Tropenbos Viet Nam’s commitment to protect and restore the forests in the area, alternatives to the conventional form of coffee cultivation are being promoted.

Therefore, Tropenbos Viet Nam is actively advocating for the inclusion of agroforestry benefits in national Payments for Environmental Services (PES) policies. By incentivising local smallholder farmers to maintain or adopt a sustainable coffee system, this initiative aims to enhance their income while safeguarding the environment. Collaborating with FarmTree and Tây Nguyên University (TNU), Tropenbos International and Tropenbos Viet Nam are leading the way, scientifically capturing the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of coffee agroforestry.

They applied a tool for projecting performance of nature-based solutions in agriculture that was developed by FarmTree. In this case, the tool was used to make predictions about how different coffee farming methods perform, providing a platform to compare them. Some of the results found were that while growing coffee alone produced higher yields, using agroforestry provided farmers with a more stable income throughout the year and higher annual net income. Additionally, agroforestry scenarios used water more efficiently, with reduced losses from soil evaporation and runoff. The soils in agroforestry scenarios also retained more water because of higher organic matter contents, resulting in lower overall irrigation needs compared to monocrop scenarios.

The upcoming phase involves finalising the studies on the environmental impacts of coffee agroforestry compared to coffee monocrop and transforming years of scientific and quantitative data into a more accessible and comprehensive format, making it easily understandable for a wider audience. Following this, Tropenbos Viet Nam will will engage with key stakeholders and policymakers at both regional and national levels, advocating for the inclusion of coffee agroforestry in national PES schemes.

In wrapping up this insightful initiative, the joint efforts of Tropenbos Viet Nam, Tropenbos International, FarmTree and TNU underscore a shared commitment to environmental stewardship and community well-being. The path ahead holds promise, and the impact of this initiative is expected to resonate through the landscape of sustainable agriculture, leaving a legacy that extends beyond the borders of Dak Lak.