German newspaper highlights climate change impact on Vietnamese coffee growers
Die Rheinpfalz, a daily newspaper in the German western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, has just published an article about heavy climate change-induced consequences facing coffee growers in Vietnam. Germany is currently the Southeast Asian nation’s largest importer of Robusta coffee.
Farmers in Mang Den town, Kon Plong district, the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum harvest coffee (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) – Die Rheinpfalz, a daily newspaper in the German western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, has just published anarticle about heavy climate change-induced consequences facing coffee growersin Vietnam. Germany is currently the Southeast Asian nation’s largest importerof Robusta coffee.
According to the article, coffee grows well in the highlandsof Vietnam, where about 1.5 million people live on coffee cultivation. However, water sources for coffee farming in the region are becoming increasingly scarce due to the impact of climatechange which has affected the country for a long time.
The rainy season in the region is becoming more and more erratic, evenwithout rain at all, as in June this year. When it needs rain for the coffeetree to grow, the weather is hot; but when the tree blooms, it suddenly rains,causing the flowers to rot. This reduces coffee production and quality.
The article noted that coffee exports, with the majority headingfor the European market, have declined. Vietnam shipped 1.88 million tonnes ofcoffee overseas in 2018, with the figure continuously decreasing to 1.61million tonnes in 2019, 1.57 million tonnes in 2020, and 1.52 million in 2021.
The author went on to added that state agencies and NGOs aretrying to find solutions to help the country’s coffee industry become moreresilient and sustainable. The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment has launched a 2021-2025 project on the replanting or grafting of about107,000 hectares of coffee with new varieties that are more resistant to pestsand diseases and more adaptable to climate change conditions.
The article highlighted that Vietnam is currently the second largestcoffee producer in the world (after Brazil) and the largest producer of Robustacoffee in the world. The nation’s customers are in about 80 countries across theglobe and 40% of its coffee output is exported to Europe. Germany is Vietnam’smost important consumer market, accounting for 15% of its total coffee exportsin 2021. According to the German Federal Statistical Office, Germany imported atotal of 1.21 million tonnes of coffee last year, of which 17% were fromVietnam./.
Vietnam aims to replant or transplant about 107,000ha of coffee in the 2021 – 2025 period, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
Since the start of this year, coffee shipments to Europe, the US and Japan have enjoyed remarkable increases. In the first half of 2022, Vietnam exported nearly 1 million tonne of coffee, raking in more than 2.3 billion USD, up over 23% in volume and nearly 50% in value against the same period of 2021.
The international exhibition Café show 2022 opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, attracting over 200 domestic and foreign participants.
Coffee and tea chains no longer have it as easy as they did before the pandemic. However, giants in the fields of real estate, retail, and FMCG keep entering the industry, according to insiders.
The Vietnam - UK Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) has substantially assisted Vietnam’s coffee sector to expand its market share in the UK, according to the Foreign Trade Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, said the World Bank remains committed to working with the Vietnamese government to develop the next phase of climate resilience and transformation for the Mekong Delta.
Under the directive, the PM instructed relevant agencies to regularly inspect, supervise and proactively implement disaster prevention, response and rescue measures in line with their assigned roles and mandates, ensuring readiness, avoiding passivity or delays, and maintaining operational continuity amid ongoing political and administrative restructuring at levels.
According to Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Space Centre and head of the project, this is the first study in Vietnam to simultaneously employ Sentinel-2 satellite data, advanced machine learning algorithms, and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform to model and monitor key seawater quality parameters.
The Deposit Return System is seen as a potential instrument for effectively advancing Vietnam’s vision of a circular economy, as outlined in Article 142 of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.
The figures were highlighted in a Pre-Feasibility Study on a DRS tailored for single-use beverage packaging in Vietnam, conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Young people should not view AI as salvation but rather as a tool under human control. Young creators should focus on learning and accumulating practical knowledge, using AI as a tool to carry out artistic projects in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
Saigon Hi-Tech Park’s ambitious 50% renewable energy goal far exceeds the city’s 15% target, positioning the park as a trailblazing “living lab” for sustainable energy solutions.
Vietnam's economic losses from natural disasters are estimated to account for 1 to 1.5% of GDP annually - a steep price that will continue to rise unless the country takes strong action.
Wutip, the first storm in the East Sea so far this year, has wreaked havoc across central Vietnam, claiming lives, displacing residents, and causing widespread damage to houses, crops, and infrastructure, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control reported as of 6:30 pm on June 13.
The tremor occurred at 7:39:46 am (Hanoi time), with the epicentre located at latitude 14.924°N and longitude 108.236°E, at a depth of approximately 8.1 kilometres. The natural disaster risk level was classified as 0 – the lowest on the scale.
Addressing a session on “Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Deputy Minister Hiep emphasised Vietnam's proposal in building sustainable financing in response to natural disasters, which aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction's goals.
Vietnam has demonstrated its strong commitments by participating in global sustainable development forums, signing multiple free trade agreements, and attracting support from international partners for the implementation of the SDGs.
The fight against plastic pollution could not succeed through isolated efforts, but it must be a collective endeavour involving the entire political system, businesses, citizens, and the international community, said Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy.
Lang Son Global Geopark, with its outstanding geological values, cultural heritage, and unique natural landscapes, represents a valuable addition to UNESCO’s global geoparks system.
In 2019, Quang Ninh became one of the first localities in Vietnam to launch a province-wide campaign against plastic waste, mobilising the participation of the political system, the business sector, and the general public. Other localities—such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City—have also effectively implemented waste-sorting initiatives at source, along with models for plastic-free markets and urban areas.
This year’s World Oceans Day on June 8 is themed 'Wonderful Oceans: Sustaining What Sustains Us', while World Environment Day is on June 5 with the theme: 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
Renowned artists including Ha Anh Tuan, Den Vau, and Phan Manh Quynh, along with many directors and attendees, took part in planting hundreds of rare tree species such as mun (Diospyros mun) and cho chi (Parashorea chinensis) in the Thung Bong area of the Cuc Phuong National Park, contributing to forest ecosystem restoration.
Farmers in Mang Den town, Kon Plong district, the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum harvest coffee (Photo: VNA) 
