Ta Nung Farmers Join Forces for Sustainable Coffee Production
Ta Nung, an area in Cam Ly - Da Lat Ward where the indigenous K’ho community and other ethnic groups live, is entering the peak coffee harvest season. Here, a new production linkage model is delivering positive results: the Ta Nung Sustainable Coffee Production Club.
Higher productivity
These days, Mr. Mo Bon Ha Muoi and his wife are busy harvesting 2.5 hectares of coffee. According to Mr. Ha Muoi, their old coffee garden had been cultivated for many years, with aging trees and low productivity. In 2021, the family decided to replant the entire area with the Thien Truong coffee variety.
“After replanting in 2021, the garden began yielding in 2023. The Thien Truong variety is well suited to Ta Nung’s soil, producing abundant cherries and large beans. Last year, we harvested about 15 tons of green beans, and this year the yield is expected to be even higher,” Mr. Ha Muoi said.
He explained that he applied a multi-stem grafting technique, training two to three shoots onto each rootstock and allowing them to grow freely. This method reduces labor while significantly increasing yields, though it requires adequate nutrition. Each year, he applies around 5 kilograms of organic fertilizer per tree, combined with three applications of NPK fertilizer.
In the past, farmers here followed traditional practices, pruning heavily and keeping trees low. It required a lot of labor but delivered lower yields. Through the Sustainable Coffee Production Club and study tours to coffee-growing areas such as Bao Loc and Di Linh, I learned this new technique, which has proven much more effective.
Mr. Mo Bon Ha Muoi, Cam Ly - Da Lat Ward
A sustainable approach
Mr. Ha Muoi is one of the active members of the Ta Nung Sustainable Coffee Production Club. According to Duong Thi Phuong, Deputy Head of the Club, its members are experienced farmers who are passionate about coffee cultivation. “Those with stronger expertise support others in improving production and business efficiency,” she said.
The club serves as a platform for farmers to exchange technical knowledge and attend training courses on replanting, organic fertilizer use, drip irrigation, water-saving practices and reducing pesticides. Quarterly meetings allow members to update market information and align production toward sustainable standards.
Beyond cultivation, the club also includes members involved in processing, such as drying and roasting. Ms Phung Thi Ngoc Tram operates a large-capacity drying facility, handling 15–20 tons of fresh coffee per batch while maintaining strict quality and moisture control. Her facility serves club members and supplies coffee to the market, providing farmers with a more stable processing and marketing option.
According to Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh, Chairwoman of the Farmers’ Association of Cam Ly - Da Lat Ward, the club’s model has proven highly effective. It has gradually established a closed supply chain, with households specializing in purchasing, supplying fertilizers and seedlings, processing, and linking with enterprises for product off-take.