Coffee trees create a solid economic fulcrum for Dak Nong ethnic minority people

Coffee trees are becoming a solid economic fulcrum, helping many ethnic minority households in Dak Nia commune (Gia Nghia city) gradually stabilize their lives. Many of them have risen out of poverty and become legitimately rich.

Over the past decades, many farmers who are ethnic minorities in Dak Nia commune have chosen coffee trees as a pillar of economic development. Thanks to diligence, hard work and bold application of new scientific and technical advances in farming, many farmer households have gradually created a stable source of income. The lives of many households have improved markedly and are full of hope to get rich on this land.

Mr. K’Khiem – head of N’J Leng village of Dak Nia commune (Gia Nghia city) is one of the pioneer households, persistently choosing to grow coffee for local economic development.

One of the typical examples is Mr. K’Khiem – Head of Bon N’Jrieng in Dak Nia commune. Starting to grow coffee in 2009 on the land left by his grandparents, he now owns 2.5 hectares with about 2,500 coffee trees. Thanks to the application of effective farming techniques, the output of the coffee garden is always stable. In the last crop, with a selling price of over 120,000 VND/kg, he earned about 700 million VND. This is a desirable number for many ethnic minority farmers in the locality.

New coffee varieties were chosen by Mr. K’Khiem to plant to improve productivity and product quality.

Not only focusing on production, Mr. K’Khiem also actively shares his experience in taking care of crops with people in the region. In the process of changing jobs, he often provides technical guidance to improve productivity. Facing the increase in pests and diseases, especially fungi, leafhoppers and aphids in recent years, he and many farmers have actively exchanged and learned for effective prevention.

Hiện tại, gia đình anh chủ yếu canh tác các giống TR4, TR9 và cà phê dây. “Trồng cà phê quan trọng nhất là phải đảm bảo nước tưới, bón phân đúng lúc, đúng liều lượng. Và quan trọng hơn nữa đó là phải có kỹ năng phân biệt, chọn ra được giống chất lượng” – anh K’Khiêm chia sẻ kinh nghiệm.
Currently, his family mainly cultivates TR4, TR9 varieties and string coffee. “The most important thing in coffee cultivation is to ensure that water is irrigated and fertilized at the right time and in the right dosage. And more importantly, it is necessary to have the skills to distinguish and choose quality varieties” – Mr. K’Khiem shared his experience.

Not only Mr. K’Khiem, many ethnic minority households in Dak Nia commune are also rising thanks to coffee trees. In the same commune, Mr. K’Krai’s farmer is currently cultivating 3 hectares, harvesting from 10 to 14 tons of coffee beans per year thanks to proper technical care. In addition, there are also farmers of Ms. H’Grep’s family who also own more than 2 hectares of coffee, which is giving a stable output of 6-7 tons per crop.

In the past two decades, although coffee prices have fluctuated erratically, this crop has still played a pivotal role in the development of the household economy in Dak Nia. Mr. Do Van Sin – Vice Chairman of the Commune People’s Committee, said that the locality has actively mobilized ethnic minority households to plant at least 200-300 coffee trees to improve their income. Thanks to the timely support of varieties and techniques from all levels and the spirit of consensus and diligence of the people, the coffee growing model in Dak Nia is increasingly affirming its efficiency and sustainability.

Alternating coffee with other crops is a way to help increase income and economic efficiency for many farmers in Gia Nghia City today.

Dak Nia commune currently has 2,628 households, of which ethnic minorities account for about 39%. In this group, it is estimated that about 17% of households are developing economically from coffee trees. Supported by varieties, techniques and access to preferential loans, many ethnic minority households have actively invested and improved production efficiency. The average yield is about 2 tons/ha; Well-cared for gardens can yield 4-5 tons/ha – a quite impressive number compared to the general level of the whole region.

Mr. Do Van Sin – Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dak Nia commune said that through production practices, local people increasingly trust coffee plants thanks to their high adaptability to climate, soil conditions and stable economic efficiency. “Compared to many other crops, coffee is more drought-tolerant, and the income is sustainable, so people prioritize choosing long-term attachment,” Mr. Sin expressed.