In Village 12 of Ea Tu commune (Buon Ma Thuot City), nearly 1,500 hectares of coffee are in full production along National Highway 26. While many growers in other regions rush to harvest early to avoid theft, the farmers of Village 12 can wait calmly for their cherries to ripen evenly, thanks to a highly effective local coffee-security patrol team.
Farmers Enjoy Peace of Mind
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Secure Harvests
Resident Nguyen Thi Xuan shared:
“My coffee hasn’t fully ripened yet, so I haven’t started picking. Each year I only pay 30,000 VND in coffee-field security fees to the patrol, and our plot is well protected.”
Even families living far away but owning coffee plots—such as Nguyen Xuan Thu, Cu Chinh Hop, and Tran Van Nhu from Tan Hoa ward—are equally confident:
“I built a small hut in my coffee field to store fertilizer and stay during harvest, but it’s been empty all year because the village patrol takes care of security,” said Nguyen Xuan Thu.
This peace of mind allows growers to harvest at peak ripeness, preserving bean quality and avoiding losses.
Building an Effective Coffee-Protection Patrol
Overcoming Community Challenges
Across the region, coffee-protection patrols are becoming common, but not all operate effectively. Many coffee thieves are in desperate situations or are addicted to drugs, making villagers afraid to report theft for fear of retaliation.
From the outset, the Village 12 patrol addressed this challenge by publishing a hotline number for immediate assistance. As a result:
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Coffee harvests remain secure.
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Farmers can harvest on schedule, ensuring high-quality coffee.
Structure of the Patrol Team
The Village 12 patrol is a voluntary team of ten members that:
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Safeguards public order year-round.
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Protects more than 80 hectares of coffee during the harvest season.
Key members include the village police liaison, village head, and veterans’ association members, while the remaining members are elected directly by villagers, building trust and confidence.
A Leader’s Perspective
Team leader Tran Nguyen Thinh explained:
“Compared with working my own coffee field, patrol duty is more demanding and brings almost no income. But because we’re trusted by the people, we are willing to hire laborers to harvest our own fields so we can guard the village.”
Villagers immediately notify the team in case of trouble, allowing them to limit incidents quickly.
Example:
On September 16, after a report of eight drunken youths fighting with machetes at the village gate, the patrol quickly broke up the fight and handed the group over to commune police. One person was injured and the city police are now handling the case.
Recognized as a Model of Success
According to Vu Viet Bang, Chief of Ea Tu Commune Police:
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All 12 villages and hamlets now have coffee-protection patrols,
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But Village 12’s patrol is the most effective and serves as a model for the others.
Since its establishment:
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Coffee theft during harvest has almost disappeared.
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Public-order disturbances have dropped sharply compared with other villages.
Conclusion
The coffee security patrol model in Village 12 gives farmers the confidence to harvest coffee at the right time, ensuring high bean quality and supporting local economic growth. It has also strengthened security and social order, proving to be an effective community-based strategy for protecting Vietnam’s valuable coffee crop.