Even in the height of the dry season, the twelve-year-old coffee plantation of Mr. Ama Chương in Kô Tam hamlet, Ea Tu commune (Buôn Ma Thuột City) remains lush and vibrant. The secret: a drip-irrigation system combined with fertigation (fertilizer applied through irrigation water) that has been operating for more than two years.
Pilot System and Setup
Table of Contents
Project Background
The pilot—sponsored by Trung Nguyên Coffee Company—began in early 2010 on 5,000 m², leaving another 4,000 m² under traditional irrigation as a control.
Central Control Unit Components
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Flow meter: Monitors exact water application and checks pump output.
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Pressure gauge: Ensures the pump is working properly, filters are clean, and no leakage occurs.
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Filtration system: Removes particles to keep water clean and pressure stable.
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Air-release valve: Expels air pockets formed by pumping or slope changes to maintain uniform pressure and avoid vacuum pockets.
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Fertilizer injector (fertigation unit): Draws pre-dissolved fertilizer into the main line so nutrients reach the root zone through the drip lines.
Field Installation
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Main irrigation pipes are buried 5–7 cm below ground, laid about 70 cm from each coffee trunk.
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Each tree is served by a drip line with ten emitters spaced 30 cm apart, delivering about 28 liters of water per tree per hour.
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Soil-moisture sensors track conditions to match water supply precisely to plant needs, saving water and preventing losses.
Fertigation Advantages
The fertilizer injector delivers nutrients evenly from the first to the last row, ensuring the coffee roots receive nutrients exactly when needed, reducing nitrogen loss through evaporation and increasing fertilizer-use efficiency.
Because coffee yield and quality depend heavily on flowering, and flowering depends on the timing and amount of irrigation, this technology enables growers to trigger uniform flowering and schedule concentrated harvests.
Impressive Yield Results
| Year | System | Yield (tons of green coffee/ha) |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Before installation | 1.6 |
| 2010 | First year with drip/fertigation | 2.6 |
| 2011 | Second year | 4.0 |
With further fine-tuning of water cycles and fertilizer rates, yields could rise even higher.
Mr. Chương irrigates continuously for three mornings once flower buds are set, then waters every 4–5 days. About ten days after the first irrigation, the coffee trees burst into a blanket of white blossoms.
Additional Benefits
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Disease suppression: Minimizes the spread of nematodes, fungi, and bacteria because water does not splash on leaves or trunks and basins do not flood.
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Weed control: Suppresses weeds, cutting labor and herbicide costs.
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Eco-friendly: Reduces pesticide residues and protects the farm ecosystem.
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Root health: Strong, moist root zones improve respiration and nutrient uptake, boosting yield and bean quality.
Economic Analysis
According to Mr. Vũ Kiên Trung, Director of Khang Thịnh Irrigation Technology (Netafim’s representative in Vietnam):
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Total investment: about 54 million VND per hectare with a minimum 10-year lifespan.
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Depreciation cost: roughly 5.4 million VND per hectare per year.
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Labor savings: Drip irrigation cuts labor by 70–80% (saving 17–20 labor-days per hectare) and uses about 40% less water.
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If yields increase by just 0.3 tons/ha, at current coffee prices this adds about 13.8 million VND per hectare in income, more than offsetting the investment.
Conclusion
The drip-irrigation-plus-fertigation model is proving to be a key tool for sustainable coffee production in the Central Highlands. By conserving water, reducing inputs, improving yields and bean quality, and significantly increasing economic returns, this technology offers a clear path toward profitable and environmentally friendly coffee farming.