The Climate Resilient Coffee Farming Project
Vietnam,
concluded
The project aims to promote sustainable production practices and improve the livelihoods of poor smallholder coffee farmers in Vietnam’s Central Highlands.
The Climate Resilient Coffee Farming project aimed to promote sustainable production practices and improve the livelihoods of low-income smallholder coffee farmers in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. The project was supported by TCHIBO, a major German coffee roaster committed to sustainability and fairness. Vietnam is TCHIBO’s most important procurement market for Robusta coffee. However, intensive coffee cultivation also comes with sustainability challenges.
Dak Lak, which produces nearly 40% of Vietnam’s coffee output, plays a critical role in global coffee supply. Yet, farmers in the province are increasingly exposed to climate risks, including prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and soil degradation. These challenges, combined with market volatility and rising input costs, place growing pressure on smallholder livelihoods—particularly among ethnic minority communities and farmers with limited landholdings.
Our approach
The project prioritised:
Smallholder farmers with less than one hectare of coffee land
Ethnic minority communities
Farmers facing constraints in water access and farm productivity
Through a combination of Farmer Field Schools (FFS), on-site coaching, and demonstration plots, the project introduced practical, field-based training on:
Soil, nutrient, and pest management
Water-efficient irrigation practices
Intercropping and diversification
Farm household financial management
At the same time, CRCF strengthened local systems by training extension workers and farmer leaders, ensuring knowledge continues to be shared beyond the project lifecycle.
Key results and impact
Between 2024 and 2026, CRCF delivered tangible results at both farmer and system levels:
5,575 smallholder farmers trained through 225 Farmer Field Schools
5,730 on-farm coaching visits delivered to support practice adoption
30 local trainers capacitated through Training of Trainers programmes
15 demonstration farms established, providing practical learning models
Beyond numbers, farmers reported increased confidence in applying good agricultural practices, improved farm management, and greater awareness of climate risks and adaptive solutions
Building a foundation for long-term change
A key achievement of CRCF lies in its contribution to strengthening local extension systems. Trained facilitators and farmer leaders are now better equipped to continue supporting farming communities, while local authorities have expressed commitment to sustaining extension services beyond the project period.
The project also reinforced the importance of:
Embedding training capacity within local institutions
Delivering demand-driven, field-based learning approaches
Linking farmer capacity building with market opportunities
As highlighted in SNV’s broader coffee sector work, sustainable transformation requires both technical solutions and market integration—ensuring farmers can translate improved practices into stable incomes and long-term resilience.
Looking ahead
While the CRCF project has come to a close, its impacts will continue through the farmers, trainers, and systems it has strengthened.
Moving forward, there is a clear opportunity to:
Scale climate-resilient practices across the coffee value chain
Strengthen market linkages
Continue empowering smallholder farmers as key actors in climate adaptation
CRCF demonstrates that with the right combination of partnerships, practical training, and system-level engagement, meaningful and lasting change in agricultural practices is not only possible—but scalable.
