At more than 1,600 meters above sea level, nature has blessed the people of Cau Dat, in Xuan Truong Commune, Da Lat, with an ideal climate and soil for coffee cultivation. Coffee grown here produces large beans considered among the finest in the world. In particular, Cau Dat is one of the rare regions in Vietnam capable of cultivating the highly sought–after Arabica variety.
Yet cultivation techniques remain simple, especially when it comes to harvesting and processing. Farmers typically harvest, process, and store their coffee using very rudimentary traditional methods that fail to meet technical standards. This leads to significant losses and a high proportion of low–quality beans. Some households, after harvesting, sell the fresh cherries directly to agents and are forced to accept low prices because freshly harvested coffee cannot be stored for long.
This situation inspired members of the Brownee project team, part of the SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) group at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, to think deeply. Vietnamese coffee beans are consistently undervalued in the marketplace, with much of their potential lost during processing. Farmers—the very people who grow the coffee and determine the inherent quality of the beans—often lack solid knowledge of the post–harvest stages. They occupy the very first link in the value chain yet frequently earn the least profit because they cannot capture and add value to their own product.
To improve quality, the starting point must be the farmers themselves. Guided by this principle, in April and July the Brownee team conducted two field surveys in Xuan Truong Commune, Da Lat. Speaking directly with local farmers, the team learned that their greatest challenges are a shortage of labor and capital. Processing skills are self–taught, and there is still no clear, scientific process. A look at the parchment coffee (beans in husk) processed by farmers showed that the quality was not very high. Farmers explained that what they need most are practical tools, machinery, and techniques—solutions that match the region’s production conditions, require a reasonable investment, and help address the chronic shortage of labor at harvest time.
It is worth noting that Arabica coffee is typically processed using the wet method, which involves steps such as sorting, cleaning, pulping (removing the fruit skin to expose the beans), fermenting, washing off the mucilage, and drying. Brownee persuaded local farmers to change their practices: instead of selling fresh cherries, they would adopt wet processing to produce clean parchment coffee before selling. The next challenge was to identify the most precise and effective tool for these farmers.
Brownee contacted a company in Buon Ma Thuot that specializes in manufacturing coffee–processing machinery. Company experts revealed that they had already been considering the idea of producing small–scale coffee–processing machines tailored to household use—machines designed to be as economical as possible and affordable for farmers. A prototype machine has been completed and is being refined to best fit actual conditions.
For the upcoming harvest season at the end of this year, Brownee plans to partner with this company to organize a demonstration showcasing the wet–processing method. The event will guide farmers through post–harvest procedures and show how to improve the quality of their coffee beans. This demonstration is scheduled for November 2011 at the Village Hall of Xuan Truong Commune, Cau Dat. Everyone interested in and passionate about Arabica coffee is warmly invited to join and contribute feedback to help ensure the success of the event.
Brownee is a coffee–focused project of the SIFE team at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City. It brings together young people dedicated to applying their knowledge and understanding in practical ways to enhance the benefits for coffee–growing farmers. The project operates in two locations: Dak Mil District in Dak Nong Province and Xuan Truong Commune in Cau Dat. In Dak Mil, Brownee has organized training on making organic fertilizer and helped farmers form cooperative clusters to produce coffee to recognized standards. In Xuan Truong, the team is focusing on wet–processing techniques, post–harvest procedures, and finding high–value markets for the product.