“Coffee not only improved my family’s life—it has become the key crop helping our commune escape poverty,” shares Cà Văn Liên, Chairman of the Farmers’ Union of Chiềng Đen commune, Sơn La City, Sơn La Province.
Leading by Example
Chiềng Đen is one of the most disadvantaged communes in Sơn La City. The land is hilly and the climate harsh: scorching sun and sudden downpours in summer, and thick fog and biting cold in winter. On top of that, the commune’s roads developed slowly. After years of living in these conditions, the people of Chiềng Đen grew accustomed to hunger and poverty, focusing only on surviving each day without daring to dream of prosperity.
“When coffee began to be planted widely in neighboring areas, a few families here dared to experiment with a few hundred trees. I took a chance and converted 5,000 square meters of land from cassava and corn to coffee,” Liên recalls.
But then, a heavy frost struck the coffee in Sơn La, forcing many farmers to cut down their plants and causing major losses. “Still, this is barren land—growing cassava or corn never yields much. If we don’t change our crops, how can we survive? I believed frost follows patterns and that we could learn ways to prevent or reduce damage,” he explains.
Not only talking but doing, Liên gradually expanded his coffee area to one hectare, then two, and invested in fertilizer. “For poor Chiềng Đen farmers back then, spending money on fertilizer was unheard of, but I did it. In the very first season with proper fertilization, coffee yields nearly doubled. Soon other households followed my example. Now, each year I earn nearly 100 million VND from coffee—three times the profit of growing corn,” Liên shares.
Inspiring the Community
When we visited Liên’s home one day in mid-September, the household was alive with activity. Under the kitchen, nearly a dozen pigs and hundreds of chickens clamored for food. Outside, more than ten seasonal workers were busy weeding and pruning trees.
“Life is no longer lacking; our children are all grown. But as a Farmers’ Union leader, I must keep producing and set a good example for others. By working hard myself, I gain experience to guide the farmers,” Liên says.
Surprised to see a fishpond beside their hillside house, his wife, Tòng Thị Tổ, explains: “My husband built a system to bring mountain water down here. He had the pond lined with cement to hold water. It cost money, but the fish grow quickly. We have food for ourselves and fish to sell—everyone admires it. He has been a commune official for many years, yet whenever free, he throws himself into the fishpond and the garden. On days off, when not busy with public duties, he works tirelessly—more like a farmer than an official. That’s why when he talks about farming, the villagers love to listen.”